It's Like Having Been Born Again
by Mako1
Summary: Ever wonder what happened when that portal closed at the end of Worlds Without End? Here's what I thought. Rated from PG-13 to NC-17 depending on the chapter.
1. Default Chapter

It's Like Having Been Born Again.

Author Chick's notes:  Okay admit it, you know that you have probably at least thought in passing whatever happened to Steeler, Clutch, and Grunt after "Worlds Without End."  You know you have. ^^  Well so have I, so much so, I am finally writing it down!  At least a little bit of it at any rate.  Yup, this sucker's gonna be a multi parter, how many parts I don't know but we'll find out when I type 'the end' won't we?  And! Get this, I'm going to be serious this time!  Hell, I could even be accused of being a bit mushy here. (I know for a fact I will but I plead near lethal doses of 'Journey' and 'Brian Adams' mushy love songs.)  As usual, none of it is mine, if it was the movie would have been a damn sight different, hell it would be right up there with Rocky Horror in cult status! Okay now I'm just being bad, here read!

It's Like Having Been Born Again.  Pt 1.

The light faded, then as if it was never there, it disappeared forever.  That was it, no chance of going home.  Home where you knew who your enemies were and where you knew whom your friends were.  Home where you knew everything.  Instead you're stuck in a place that seems like home, but only on the surface, all the colours and patterns you knew have changed, shifted, and rearranged themselves into a completely new picture that you had to figure out.

Grunt sighed deeply and looked to his comrades.  He knew all of them by name, one however he knew nothing about.  The woman.  Where he was from she would have filled the men with hot lead before even thinking of helping them.  Here however, they needed her, she was an ally.  Grunt watched her as she looked to the sky, then turned to address them.

"We'll need to go.  I have a safe house nearby that neither of those maniacs know of." The Baroness said.  The maniacs she referred to were in the middle of a civil war, a civil war she created using the combatant's jealousy of each other against them.  Both Destro and Cobra Commander were tearing up the streets of DC to gain ultimate control of the world, the flames of that war could be seen on the horizon to the south of them.

As they climbed back into the HISS Steeler stumbled a bit, still weak from the recently defeated infection.  Clutch and Grunt both marveled at the tenderness the Baroness showed toward their leader.  A short while later they stopped in the middle of nowhere, at least that's what they thought until their guide punched a code into a remote.  Suddenly the ground opened before them and the Baroness drove forward.

What was devastated forest above them became a large open hanger.  There were several dozen soldiers milling around, all of them in a heightened state of alert.  The blonde assistant Grunt remembered from the mansion stepped up to greet them.  "I thought you were all going back to your world?" Leila asked as she saw that three of them remained, including much to Leila's relief, Steeler.

Clutch looked at her, no emotion on his face really as the sheer size of their new situation settled on his broad shoulders.  "You need our help." He stated quietly.  Leila muttered a quiet thanks before awaiting her mistress' orders.  For the moment the wisest choice was to lay low until the smoke cleared from the battle raging above ground to the west of them.  Once they knew what was left to deal with, they would do so accordingly.  Until then however, it was best to stay hidden and learn all they could.

The hideout was huge, the hanger being only a small portion of a much larger facility.  It was like the Pit, only underground, or so it seemed to the three Joes.  The Baroness escorted her new charges to a large luxuriously appointed library so they could discuss amongst themselves what they needed to do.  After explaining how to contact her if they needed to, she left them to their privacy.

"First thing we need is knowledge." Steeler spoke up.  Being the ranking officer among the three he was in charge.  Everything he ever learned in officer school clicked into place and he began without hesitation.  "We need to learn history as it happened here.  How did COBRA win? What happened that gave them the edge?"  Grunt and Clutch both nodded, it made sense to start at the beginning and work their way up.  

Steeler continued, "After that, then we need to track down any of the Joes who went underground, rebuild the team."  Steeler paused as he considered something.  "Grunt?  Remember how Destro didn't even blink an eye at yer act about switching sides?"  

"Yeah? So?" Grunt answered, wondering where Steeler was going with his train of thought.

Steeler thought for a moment how to say what he was thinking.  It was hard enough for him to digest but it made sense in this strange new shadow world they were in.  "We're going to have to be ready in case…in case we encounter anyone who really did defect."  Grunt and Clutch both sat bolt upright at Steeler's statement but said nothing.  "Remember when we all thought Dusty had defected?" Steeler asked, referring to the incident that shook the entire team to the core a while back.  "Yeah it was really all some scheme he and Duke had cooked up, but it was still hard to swallow." Steeler said reminding his comrades that this reality wasn't what they knew.  

"All I'm saying is cross yer fingers and hope for the best, but be prepared to get the worst."  Steeler said before pinching the bridge of his nose and leaning forward. A moment later the dizziness passed and he continued.  "I'm ready to believe this Baroness is as she says she is." He said, "We need that now." He added.

"Yeah but how do we know she isn't just part of some grand plan COBRA has to flush the whole lot of us out and kill us?" Clutch asked, not as ready as his partners to trust their hostess.

Grunt spoke up before Steeler could.  "If he weren't dead now," He started, jerking a thumb at Steeler who was still hunched over in his seat a bit. "He would be by morning.  I got a chance to read up on that bacterial whatever that he was sick from."  Grunt continued.  "It is lethal if left untreated, if she hadn't given him the antidote, he'd be a corpse now, or pretty damn close."  Steeler kept his eyes closed, the light bothering him a bit but listened as Grunt continued filling in Clutch.  "She didn't have to save him if her ultimate goal was to destroy us.  Hell she could have blown us all to shit instead of getting us to the Proving Grounds and giving us the chance to go home."  

Before Clutch could argue that point Grunt argued back.  "And she could have done it after the others did go back."  Clutch thought about all he'd heard and looked back at Grunt.  "I'm not saying I'm gonna let my guard down but I'm ready to give her the benefit of the doubt.  If only because right now she's all we have." Grunt concluded.

Clutch nodded, telling Grunt that he was right then looked over at Steeler.  "You sure you're gonna be alright?" He asked, not liking how his boss looked.

Steeler looked up.  "Yeah.  It's gonna be a few days before I'm back to normal, but I'll be good."  Steeler answered, hoping his answer would ease both of his friends.  In truth he felt like hell, but he had been told it would take a while to completely recover from the infection that had nearly taken his life.  "I just need to rest and let the meds do their thing." He added he then took Clutch's wrist into his hand.  "We all do." He added getting an idea of the time from the mechanic's watch.  "We'll take two days to get rested.  Do whatever you need to do to get back up to par." Steeler stated, planning how they would begin the immense task they'd all agreed to take on.  "It'll give me a chance to sleep the rest of this bug off, and you guys the chance to absorb everything.  We'll start in two days, first thing 08:00" He winked.  

Grunt laughed.  "Yeah and then restart after he's taken another three hours to wake up." He said to Clutch, referring to the blonde lieutenant.  All three shared a laugh before summoning their hostess and letting them know their plans.  A few moments later, the Baroness and Leila entered the library.  After briefing the pair, Steeler let them know that they were going to take a few days to rest and gain their strength.

Leila nodded curtly when her mistress asked her to escort Clutch and Grunt to private rooms after showing them around.  Alone with the man who in a way was her beloved, the Baroness smiled softly.  "You need rest.  I can show you around when you've rested." Steeler wasn't about to argue as he followed her.  No words were spoken as she led him to gorgeous suite of rooms.  Steeler's eyes bulged a bit at the rich fabrics and tapestries used in the décor and marveled that he was in reality, underground in a bunker.  

He followed her as she led him to the master suite and he could almost feel his body screaming at him to just fall into the massive bed and it's inviting looking sheets.  His sense of decency however won out and he asked instead which door led to the bathroom, so he could shower.  The Baroness showed him where the bathroom was and left him in privacy as he set about getting clean.  Steeler could hear her doing something out in the kitchen area of the suite.  Stripping his clothes, he thought for a moment then lay them neatly on an ottoman near the bathroom door.  

"Jesus." He exclaimed as he saw the large bathroom.  Separate bath and shower, both of which were massive in size, and a smaller separate toilet area and an expansive vanity area.  As tempting as the bath looked, he figured a shower would be safer.  As exhausted as he felt he figured he'd drown if he fell asleep in the tub.  Turning on the water and letting it heat up he relieved himself then came back and got in the shower.  He took a moment to let the hot stream soak him and groaned. The water felt so good to his worn body.  He was surprised for a moment that his usual toiletries were all set out on the shelf in the shower, along with what he assumed were the Baroness' personal favorites. Then he remembered that she had loved this world's Steeler.  

Odds were that the man whose corpse he'd found on the Proving Grounds was very much like he was, seeing as they were the same man in a sense.  Steeler looked down at the intricate tattoo on his left arm, the thing that had proven their story to this Baroness, when she doubted their sanity.  He thought of the disturbing image of having found his own remains wasting away on the ground along side those of his friends who had stayed behind with him.  It was like they had been reborn.  Steeler shrugged as the thoughts began going off on a tangent he wasn't ready to handle.

Having scrubbed the last few days off, Steeler turned the water off and reached for one of the towels hanging near the shower door. He grabbed a second one to wrap around himself as he stepped out of the shower and over towards the vanity. Marveling at how the shower had made him feel so much better, he noticed that there was a clean pair of pajamas sitting on the marble counter, no doubt left there by the Baroness as he showered.  He looked back at the shower and noticed then that the doors were frosted, smirking he pulled the pants on and left the shirt where it was.  Hanging both towels up to dry off he went back into the bedroom.  

The Baroness had also changed while he was showering.  She was wearing her bathrobe again and sipping tea from a large plush chair next to the bed.  She looked defenseless curled there, reading a book and drinking her tea.  Steeler thought about it for a moment then decided that it was a discussion for another time.  He noticed that she had also pulled the sheets back on the bed while he was getting clean too.  'Man, she thought of everything.' He thought to himself before speaking up to announce himself.  "I'm uh safe in assuming, that things were pretty serious between you and the other me?" He asked.  Her soft 'yes' pulled at him as he thought about it more.  'Lucky bastard' Steeler mused about the Steeler this Baroness had known.

"Thanks.  For everything." Steeler said as he crawled up onto the bed.  Getting comfortable in a cross-legged position, he faced her, taking in the sight of her against the soft light of the room.

"You are most welcome." She replied softly, her lilting accent thicker with the barely contained emotion.   "I brought you some coffee.  I know you like it before bedtime." She said as she handed him the large mug.  Steeler purred as he drank, it was just how he liked it.  He looked up at her and thanked her again.  "It is…difficult.  I know you are not the man I loved yet you are.  It's hard for me to remember that." She said as she faced him, tears in her eyes.  "I see you sitting there, just as he did, and…" She couldn't continue, emotion choking any further response out of her.  

Steeler quickly put his coffee aside and reached over to her.  She didn't fight him as he pulled her into his arms and let her weep against his chest.  He held her like that for a long time.  Regaining a bit of composure, she looked up at him, not pulling out of his embrace.  "You need rest, you are still fighting off the D-Bacteria." She said as she finally did pull away.  Steeler, realizing he was too tired to argue, just slipped under the covers.  He was asleep before his head ever touched the pillow.  The Baroness smiled as she finished tucking him in, brushing a stray strand of blonde hair off his forehead before placing a gentle kiss there.

The Baroness removed her robe to expose a simple nightgown.  Getting into the other side of the bed, she turned the lamp off on the nightstand.  The following morning Steeler awoke feeling warm and safe.  Something soft was under his chin and he glanced down to see long raven black hair spilling all over the pillow.  He had his arm around her waist as she slept against his chest.  Deciding he liked this he went back to sleep.  

Knowing that when he awoke the following morning, life would be deadly serious.  For now he could relax, he'd need it as the days grew into weeks and so forth.  He'd agreed along with Clutch and Grunt that they'd rebuilt GI Joe and save this world from COBRA.  Even if it did kill them…again.

To be continued…


	2. It's Like Having Been Born Again. pt 2

It's Like Being Born Again.  Pt 2

Author chick's notes: Just continuing from the last chapter.  I was brainstorming this monster earlier, and I'll be dammed if I didn't scare the shite out of myself.  Enjoy the mush while it lasts, it's going to get uglier as the story progresses. =)  Disclaimers are in chapter 1, I own nadda.

Clutch and Grunt both shared a look as they left Steeler alone with the Baroness.  Either she would kill him in his sleep, or she'd prove that she was genuine in her intentions.  Clutch signaled to Grunt he'd check in on them later and make sure that the blonde tanker was still alive.  Grunt nodded then looked forward.  The Baroness' assistant, Leila was leading them past another set of rooms on their way to get a tour of the facility.  The tour would wait Clutch thought as he suddenly yawned loudly.

"Excuse me, Ms?" I'd love to see this and all, but we've got two days to familiarize ourselves and I'm dead tired." Clutch spoke up.  Leila just smiled and stopped at the next door they came to.

"I understand."  She said as she opened the door to a similar suite of rooms they'd left Steeler in.  "You'll find a full kitchen in case you are hungry." She began as she showed the men around the suite.  "And fresh clothing to change with." She added as she flipped on the light switch in the bedroom.  Both Joes gaped at the room and back at Leila.  Before either one could say anything, she motioned to a consol next to the expansive bed and showed how Clutch could get a hold of anyone he chose from it.  "These will be your chambers, you on the other hand will be next door."  She said before taking Grunt by the arm and leading him away.  Clutch saw the pair off and wished them a good night before Grunt was led to his own suite.

Grabbing a soda out of the refrigerator, he made his way back to the bedroom and set about cleaning himself up.  Showered and dressed in sweats, Clutch set the alarm on his watch for three hours.  He'd check in on his lieutenant at that time and if he was satisfied, he'd began relaxing a little.  Everything was so strange here.  It was the same on the surface but that's where it ended.  Clutch shook his head to get rid of the thoughts as he crawled into bed.  It wasn't long before he too was soon fast asleep, safe, and comfortable.

Next door, Grunt was nowhere near as sleepy as his friends.  The events of the past few days and the huge mystery of their present situation had him thinking.  And whenever he was thinking, he wouldn't stop for anything, sleep included.  "Hey Leila? Is it?"  At her yes, he continued.  "I'm not tired right now but I'd really like to get a jump on a few things." Grunt said as she looked up at him.  "And I could use your help if you're not busy?" He added.

"I have a small errand to run first, then I am at your disposal." Leila said.  "I'll meet you back here in one half hour?" She inquired, figuring that he'd probably want to shower and get comfortable himself.

"Sure, see ya then." Grunt said as she left.  Grunt leaned against the door as it closed behind Leila.  "Damn if that outfit doesn't love her." He said aloud as he remembered her form being hugged in the tight uniform.  Tapping his knuckles to his head he muttered again. "Brain out of pants and back into the skull Robbie." He said as he set off towards the bedroom to change.  In one of the drawers, he found sweatpants and shirts.  Picking a grey pair and settling for a t-shirt, he then took a quick, cold shower.  He was still having problems getting the image of Leila out of his mind.

"Nice." Grunt said aloud as he saw a small gash above his right eye.  "Add to the scar while yer at it."  He said, referring to a continually growing scar over his eye.  He always seemed to get nicked in the same area.  He looked over at a tray next to the sink and thought for a moment before deciding that he'd shave later.  Dressed, Grunt made his way into the kitchen area and began getting some coffee going.  He was about to check the time when he heard a knock on the door.  Glancing at the clock on the microwave he marveled that Leila was right on time.

She had changed as well in the time she was gone.  Instead of the form-fitting COBRA uniform, she now wore a large black sweater over a pair of matching leggings.  Grunt stammered out a small 'hi' and stepped aside to allow her in.  "I brought a few data discs on history for you to go over." Leila said as she set down the small case she carried with her.

"That's perfect." Grunt smiled.  "Would you like some coffee? It should be ready by now." He added, pointing in the general direction of the kitchen.

"Allow me to help you." Leila offered as she followed him into the kitchen.  After a few minutes the two had gotten their coffee as well as put some sandwiches together.  Making their way back to the living room area, they sat down and began going over the information Leila had brought with her.  

As Grunt read the information on the discs, he answered Leila's questions about his world and himself.   He quickly noticed that a lot of what he was reading, he already knew, so he scanned the pages until the information wasn't what he took for history.  "Well, everything's kosher up to Vietnam, at least as I know it." Grunt said as he narrowed in on the formation of both GI Joe and COBRA.

"How long has COBRA been in charge around here?" Grunt asked Leila in an effort to narrow his search a little more.

"Roughly four years now." Leila answered as she reached over to the keyboard on the laptop and punched up a few keywords.  "Here is when it started, at least as everyone knows it." She added, pointing to a highlighted section on the screen.  Grunt skimmed over it, not satisfied entirely but it was a start.

"This is just basics though." He said reading the information.

Leila jolted as she remembered something that may help him.  "My errand a while ago was to check that a message had gotten through." She began.  "The Baroness had requested the presence of a key member of the Resistance.  She has also become quite the historian of the events of the last four years, she'll be able to assist you more I believe." Leila added.

"Would I know this person?" Grunt asked, hoping it might be one of his fellow Joes from this timeline.

"I'm afraid I've never met her.  All I know is that she is very highly respected for her espionage skills as well as the detailed information she has gathered since the take over." Leila offered.

Grunt ran a hand through his hair as he scanned the screen again.  "Hmm…" He murmured, shutting off the computer and turning to Leila.  "I guess that'll have to do for now." He added.  Looking up at Leila he decided to get to know her a little better.  What were her motivations?  Why was she so helpful? "Uh, mind if I ask why you're with COBRA?" Grunt asked, figuring it to be the best place to start.

Leila answered all of his questions honestly and gladly offered other details as well.  Asking a few of her own, the two spent the better part of the night learning what made the other tick.  Grunt felt that he could trust this woman, who said she owed her life to the Baroness, hence her devout service to the woman.  Grunt told her of the Baroness he knew and she was appalled that the two were essentially the same woman.

Leila felt the need to change the subject. "What made you decide to stay here Grunt?" She asked, wondering why he'd stay in hell compaired to his own reality.

"Rob." He said.  "Call me Rob." He shrugged.  "As for why I stayed…I guess I figured that I could be of some help here.  Not to mention I owe both you and the Baroness pretty much everything." He added with a lopsided smirk.

"And your friends, Rob?" Leila asked.

"Probably the same thing.  I mean I saw my own corpse this evening.  It's a pretty weird feeling knowing I'm dead to some extent here." Grunt answered.  

The two spoke some more before Leila began nodding off.  Grunt got up and went to turn down the bed.  He came back and found Leila fast asleep in the chair she had spent most of the night in.  Picking her up gently, her took her into the room and lay her down.  Covering her with the blankets, she mumbled something he didn't catch in her sleep.  He watched her sleep for a few minutes before heading back out to the living room area.  After turning out the lights he fumbled his way towards the couch and pulled the afghan draped over the back onto himself.  After musing his sense of chivalry he was soon snoring softly.  

Clutch awoke to the sound of his watch beeping.  After trying to remember why he'd set the alarm in the first place, he rose out of bed and quietly made his way back to the suite where Steeler was spending the night.  It didn't take him long to pick the lock on the door.  Very quietly he crept towards the master bedroom.  There he found Steeler deep asleep and not alone.  Curled up next to him, resting her head on his bare chest was the Baroness.  In the dim light he could barely see the tracks her tears had left on her fair skin. Feeling as though he was intruding on something private, he made his way back to his own quarters and back into bed.

This Baroness was what she claimed to be Clutch decided.   He would use the remaining day or so to rest up.  Knowing Grunt, he'd already narrowed down their task of relearning things as they had happened in this world.  Clutch yawned deeply, his mind drifting on all the things that could go wrong with his decision to stay in a war zone instead having gone back to where he knew the world.  Frowning in the dark, Clutch ground the morbid thoughts out with a hard fact.  He was a Joe it was his sworn duty to keep the world safe from evil and horror, the likes of which COBRA represented.  The large mechanic fell asleep, holding his final thoughts in the forefront of his consciousness.

To Be Continued…


	3. It's Like Having Been Born Again. pt 3

It's Like Having Been Born Again.  Pt 3

Author chick's notes: Welcome back.  So who is the mystery spy/historian Leila mentioned last chapter?  You'll find out here.  This is where all hell breaks loose and you find out just how bad and final COBRA did succeed in taking over the world…at least in my version of things. =)  Oh yeah, Clutch isn't going to have to suffer too much either. =)  You'll see what I mean. Mwahahahaha…Disclaimers in Chapter 1.

It's Like Having Been Born Again.  Pt. 3

Two days had passed since their fate was sealed.  It was almost 08:00 and Clutch, Grunt, and Steeler were gathering in the library of their current hideaway.  The Baroness had excused herself from the session, but had asked Leila to sit in on it on her behalf.  After introducing her contact, the Baroness had to attend to the ugly business of the war that still raged in the streets of the former US capitol.  She needed to know who had the upper hand so she could plan their eventual demise as well.

Leila was pouring coffee for the three Joes and herself when a knock on the door announced the arrival of the Baroness' contact.  A petite shrouded figure entered after having the door opened for her by the Baroness.  "Man Anya." She started, obviously quite familiar with the Baroness.  "Those two have made…a…mess…" She stammered as she slowly removed the hood of her cloak. "Lance?" The three Joes knew who their contact was now.  Her hairstyle was different, longer, but everything else was, as they knew it.

Across the room Cover Girl stood there, staring at Clutch as if seeing a ghost.  "They said…" She began as she moved closer.  "They said you were dead." Cover Girl choked out as she rushed into Clutch's arms.  Grunt and Steeler both shared a look of surprise as Cover Girl began kissing Clutch feverishly.  Clutch meanwhile was lost.  The Cover Girl he knew tolerated him at best, this one however cared considerably more about him.  Not one to look a gift horse in the mouth he began kissing her back, mentally thanking whatever gods were listening for making him choose to stay in this shadow world.

"Ten bucks says, that if there's ever a chance of going back, he ain't going." Grunt whispered to Steeler as the two gave the 'lovers' a little privacy.  The Baroness gave Steeler's hand a gentle squeeze as she made her way to the door.  Grunt just rolled his eyes and fiddled with his nails until things in the room had cooled down a bit.  They still had to tell this Cover Girl that they weren't the trio she knew and he wasn't exactly looking forward to it either.  He reached into a pocket on the leg of his pants, fingering the dog tags they'd found in the Proving Grounds.  When things cooled down on the surface there was still the matter of attending to the dead.

Clutch and Cover Girl finally broke apart for air.  Clutch looked sad as he realized the same thing Grunt was thinking.  They had to tell her the truth.  "Courtney, we need to talk." Clutch got out as he thought of how to break the terrible news to her.

"You're right." She smiled.  Then remembering they weren't alone she turned to the others in the room.  "Hey foot soldier, hey Blondie."  She smirked addressing the two the same way the Cover Girl they knew would.  "What's going on?" She asked noticing that they weren't as thrilled as she was about their reunion.  Grunt took out the tags he had and handed them over to her.

"You better take a seat, this is gonna take a while." He started as she looked at the identification tags she held in her small hand.  The three took turns telling her the story of how they were transported to this reality by a freak accident and that the three Joes she knew, were indeed deceased.  Leila who had taken a seat next to Grunt also added to the story where she could, verifying the fact that she had seen the three skeletons on the Proving Grounds where she had found Grunt and Steeler.  Grunt took his own tag out of his shirt and held it up for her to see.  

Seeing that Cover Girl was having trouble understanding or believing what she was hearing, Steeler spoke up.  "I've gotta tattoo right?" He asked her remembering how the Baroness finally accepted their story after seeing the tattoo on his left forearm.

"Yeah." She answered looking confused now.  "Some family crest thing." She clarified identifying the tattoo Steeler was about to show her. Steeler rolled both sleeves up but before showing her his forearms, he asked which arm it was on.  "The right one." She said very confused now.  "What's this all…Oh my god!"  She exclaimed when she saw the tattoo she knew, only on the wrong arm.  Cover Girl looked down at the tags in her hand absorbing what she now knew to be the truth.  

She then looked up at Clutch who offered her the comfort of his arms. She leaned into him gratefully.  She'd mourned his loss already so she shed no tears learning that what was once rumor was indeed truth.  She explained about the sabotage mission the three men she knew were sent on and never heard from again.  They learned what might have happened to the trio as Cover Girl explained that Destro was test firing an ultra sonic device on the Proving Grounds that in the end proved to unstable for safe use. "At least this explains why Anya wanted me to bring these then."  She got up from leaning on Clutch and began opening the backpack she had brought with her.

"Anya?" Steeler asked.

"The Baroness?" Cover Girl answered.  Then realizing that the Baroness they knew was probably nowhere near the ally this one was she explained further.  "Her real name is Anastasia DeCobrey.  'Anya' is the short form of it." Cover Girl said.  "Let me guess, the one you guys know would blow your head off without thinking twice right?"

"There's an understatement." Grunt added as he poured himself a second cup of coffee.  

Cover Girl tried to imagine the woman, she at one time herself didn't trust as a cold callous killer.  Shaking her head she continued getting out folder after folder full of pictures and data she had amassed since COBRA's conquest of the world.  "Okay guys.  I don't know what life was like in your reality, but I'm pretty sure that I can clear things up for you about this lovely hell hole." She said mockingly as she began opening one of the folders.

"Well while we were getting rested up, I did some reading up." Grunt offered.  "Leila had some basic history she went over with me." He added pointing to the Baroness' faithful servant who was seated next to him.

Cover Girl acknowledged the woman.  "That's great.  So what do I need to fill in for you?" She asked.

Steeler made a comment about how Grunt couldn't leave anything alone and thanked him for getting a jump on what they needed to do.  "No problem boss.  We're in good shape actually." Grunt said hopefully.  "We already know the bulk of history as it happened here.  Pretty much everything up to a few years after 'Nam officially ended is the same.  It's where the whole Joe/COBRA conflict comes in that we're in the dark." He explained to everyone.

"Well that makes my job a little easier." Cover Girl said as she set out photos from the first of several folders.  "Sort of." She added as an afterthought.  She knew full well that what she had to tell the men was anything but 'easy' to handle.  She explained how the Joe team had formed as she knew it, finding out that the facts were the same for the men as well.  There were a few additions they didn't know of but figured that the team was probably getting those recruits in their reality soon.  Cover Girl explained a little about the newer Joes and what they were known for before getting to the more important history lesson she had to teach.

"A little over four years ago, the Pentagon got an anonymous tip from someone."  Cover Girl started.  "We later found out that it was the Baroness who had only just learned of what Destro and Cobra Commander were about to unleash."  When Steeler asked what possessed the woman to tell the US government COBRA's plans, Cover Girl answered.  "She feared for everything.  She was always suspicious of those two assholes but when she learned that she had an hour to try and stop COBRA she made her choice.  She's one of the founders of the Resistance here." Cover Girl explained.

"Jesus." Steeler said, his respect for the woman who had taken such great care of him since his arrival, growing a thousand fold.  Clutch and Grunt both thought the same thing about their new ally as they listened in to what Cover Girl was saying.

"Thankfully the brass in charge that day decided to screw the bureaucrats and notify all of their world wide interests.  Unfortunately it was to little to late." She said as she handed over a stack of photos to Steeler.  "We had just gotten the word to scramble when COBRA struck." She added as she watched Steeler gape in horror at the pictures he was looking at, she continued as Steeler passed them over to the other two Joes.  

"Yokosuka was first." She started.

"Yokosuka? Ain't that where Tripwire's old man is stationed?"  Grunt asked as he saw the picture of the naval base in Japan.

"Was stationed." Cover Girl replied.  "They were hit so fast they never had a chance." She added, a fact that was evident from the pictures of complete devastation they were looking at.  At Grunt's 'poor guy' Cover Girl thought of something, then dismissed it.  "I'm assuming things regarding Tripwire are different then what I know them as.  As it is that's a long story in itself, and one for another time." She said getting back on track.

The trio nodded and listened as their comrade continued.  "About five minutes after Yokosuka, Guam got hit, then the Marshalls, Hawai'i, San Diego, Long Beach and Nome.  All at once." She said.

Steeler heard it as he looked at a satellite photo of an island he recognized as Oahu.  "Mother fuck." He swore as he saw that most of the island had been obliterated.  "Who had the unlucky job of scraping Torpedo off the walls?" He asked knowing full well that the Hawai'ian SEAL would have been devastated when he learned of his home being destroyed.  

Cover Girl pulled her long auburn hair back into a makeshift ponytail as she answered Steeler's question.  "Deep Six lost a few teeth trying to calm him down." She said remembering the horror of only being able to watch as the world as they knew it ended before their eyes.  "We didn't know the full extent of COBRA's attack until a day later when we got our last satellite recon photos.  We'd been attacked as well at the Pit and had spent the better part of the time defending ourselves.

Clutch was looking at the photo of Oahu as Cover Girl spoke.  "It makes sense though.  They took out a bunch of major bases for all branches of the military just hitting Hawai'i." He said.  "Schofield, Hickam, Sand Island, Wheeler, Pearl…" He listed them off, knowing which one was which judging by the glowing spots on the nighttime photo.  "Damn.  Y'all got to see the reenactment of Pearl Harbor…" Clutch said looking down at Cover Girl.

She leaned back onto him and stared at the photo.  "Yeah.  My grandmother was at Tripler in 1941 and she remembered it vividly." Cover Girl sighed as she traced a finger along the picture in Clutch's hand.  "I just never thought I'd live to see the whole thing over again…let alone on such a global scale." She added. "COBRA didn't just hit the Pacific either." She began again.  "The Atlantic got hit just as hard too." She said getting out a new set of photographs.

As she thumbed through them looking for one in particular, she listed off all the other sites COBRA had attacked in their initial onslaught. "Was there ever a meltdown at Chernobyl in your…" She didn't finish when she saw all three of them nod that a similar accident had happened at the Soviet power plant.  "Okay.  Assuming that events unfolded the same way in Chernobyl, here's a radiation photo of Polyarnyy and Murmansk." She held it up for everyone to see.  "As you can see, with all the nuclear power they had there in the form of weapons and boats, Chernobyl was a tea party in comparison."  The radiation the photo displayed was awe inspiring, and horrifying at the same time.  

"They weren't satisfied either with just wasting the Arctic.  They hit that cesspool in Dzerzhinsk too."  Referring to the heavily polluted city in the southern Ukraine.  "The Ukraine is pretty much inhospitable now.  The toxin levels present at the time in Dzerzhinsk were so off the scale that when COBRA nuked the place, they didn't need to powerful a warhead to make an even bigger mess.  They just used what was already there to make a bigger bang." She said, handing over a photo of the city as she spoke.

Steeler frowned as he absorbed all the information.  "What happened with the October Guard?" Steeler asked about the Soviet's equivalent to the Joe team.

"They went underground the same as us." Cover Girl answered.  "After a few days everyone learned just how successful COBRA had been.  Both the Joes and the October Guard were 'officially' disbanded."  Before anyone could speak up she continued.  "We weren't out of the picture though.  The last orders both teams got were to go underground and start guerilla warfare tactics against COBRA." She said.

Cover Girl went on to explain that after taking out all of the world's major military bases, COBRA began the systematic take over of each countries governments.  It had taken roughly nine months to turn the world into the one Steeler, Clutch, and Grunt had been stranded in.  "So you see?  COBRA did in a matter of months what Hitler never could accomplish."  She said when she finished her history presentation.

Cover Girl answered any questions the trio had regarding what all she had told them, filling in a few blank spots as they went along.  She then began describing how the Resistance worked.  To safeguard each other, the disbanded Joes and Guard only knew of how to contact a few of their comrades.  Steeler learned that to reunite both teams he'd have to do it a lot slower then he had originally planned.  "It makes sense doing it that way." He added thinking as he said it.

"For instance," Cover Girl started.  "I only know how to find Dusty, Tripwire, Frostbite, Diana, and Deep Six." She said.  "They in turn know how to find a few of the others and so forth."  Steeler nodded his head as he began formulating plans of his own.  "The Baroness knows how to find me and probably three or four others as well." Cover Girl offered.  "It's the one thing that is never discussed, for safety reasons obviously." She added.  

"Yeah that makes perfect sense.  In case one of you is captured, COBRA can't flush everyone out in one go." Steeler said.  Remembering what he had told Clutch and Grunt a few days prior he looked back to Cover Girl.  "Do you know if anyone actually defected over to COBRA?" He asked.  Clutch who was holding Cover Girl, hugged a little tighter at the question.

"No." She bit her lip as she thought about the question.  "If anyone had defected, Anya would have said so." She added referring to the Baroness again by her real name.  "Ace did in a double agent way but he was caught trying to sabotage Cobra Commander's computer systems and was executed publicly." She said. "The Commander is so paranoid anyway, no one else has tried for fear of just being shot on sight." She said.  Wiping a tear away at the memory of watching her former comrade being brutally murdered in cold blood on television.  Grunt buried his face in his hands and wept silently at the news.  Leila placed a comforting hand on his back and whispered softly in his ear trying to sooth his pain.  He gathered himself a moment later and thanked her quietly.  

Steeler looked at the time and found that they had been at this for well over twelve hours.  "It's late.  We'll call it off here for now." He said.  "You gonna be here for a while Cov?" He asked using the nickname version of Cover Girl's code name.

"Yes.  Anya asked that I join her here for the duration." She said.

"Good.  Leila?  Will you be seeing the Baroness anytime soon?" He asked the blonde woman seated with them.

"If she needs me all she has to do is summon." Leila said, holding up her wrist to display a delicate bracelet that doubled as a communicator.

Steeler thought for a few more moments then spoke again.  "Okay then.  Obviously you and Grunt are getting information together." He stated.  "Keep at it if you're free to do so." He added to her as everyone began rising from their seats.  "Odds are I'll see her first anyway and tell her what happened here. I'll see what she's learned too and then we'll go from there." He said.  "We'll go over notes tomorrow." He said as a dismissal.  "For now get some rest and do whatever it is you need to." He finished.

Stepping over to Cover Girl, Grunt hugged her and said how glad he was to see her.  She smiled and hugged back before Steeler took his turn.  "Good seeing you here and thanks for the history lesson." He said placing a brotherly kiss on her head.  

"You too boss." She smiled. "Now go to bed! You look like hell." She teased as she swatted him.  Steeler smirked at her then turned to head back to the room he'd been staying in.  Grunt left with Leila back to his quarters and a follow up session to the one they'd been having all day.  That left Clutch and Cover Girl alone in the library.

"So? You wanna join me for dinner?" Clutch asked, pointing in the general direction of his own quarters.  

Cover Girl agreed and said she'd meet him after she got her duffle out of her transport.   A little while later, the door opened and Cover Girl entered.  Clutch had changed out of his uniform and was preparing a light dinner in the kitchen as she put her bag down in the living room.  Clutch leaned back into the hug as Cover Girl came up behind him and encircled him in her arms.  After serving up dinner and taking it out to the living room to eat, they began talking.

"What am I like on the other side?" Cover Girl asked as she twirled her fork in her pesto.

Clutch laughed at the query before answering.  "You have shorter hair for starters." He said using his hand to indicate its length on his own head.  Cover Girl wrinkled her nose and waited for him to continue.  "As for you and me?  We're like brother and sister.  Always giving each other hell." He smiled, remembering fondly all the teasing and pranks the two had exchanged in his reality.

Cover Girl was thoughtful as she examined her fork. "Did the other me usually use the words 'bastard' and 'asshole' to describe you?" She smiled.  

Clutch laughed. "Them and a whole long litany of others too." He got out between chuckles.  Sobering a bit he continued.  "I made life a veritable hell for the other you when we first met."  Clutch said.  Judging from her raised eyebrow he had a feeling the same had happened in this world too.

"Oh I can imagine." She said smirking as she bit into another forkful of food.  

They continued talking for several more hours, finding out that the other was the same person they each knew more or less before Cover Girl asked if she could take a shower.  After Clutch had put their dishes in the sink, he took her duffle and led her towards the master suite.  As she showered, Clutch began getting a pillow and blanket from the bed.  Despite the passionate kiss they'd shared when he'd first seen her that morning, he wasn't about to risk too much by suggesting they share the bed as well.  Cover Girl came out as he finished fixing the bed and smiled.  "And where are you going?" She asked, her eyes glowing as she dropped her towel to the floor.

"I'm gonna be a good boy and sleep on the cou…whoa…" He said when he looked up and saw her standing in the doorway.  He didn't move as she made her over to him.

"Uh uh." She said, sinking to her knees before him.  "You might not be my Lance but you're pretty damn close." She said as she reached into his sweats for his manhood and began working the organ with her mouth.  Clutch's head fell back as the sensations from her attentions began flooding his entire being.  

They eventually made it into bed and after several hours of intense lovemaking, they finally fell asleep.  Cover Girl woke up early the following morning and looked at Clutch who was deep asleep on his stomach.  She gently traced the outline of his exposed ear as a tear slid from her eyes.  "I missed you love." She whispered in the dark, gently kissing his bearded cheek before curling back up to him.  Silently offering a prayer of thanks to whatever deities were listening she fell asleep, peacefully and nightmare free for the first time in longer then she could remember.

To Be Continued…


	4. It's Like Having Been Born Again. pt 4

It's Like Having Been Born Again.  Pt 4

Author chick's notes: Me again.  I got all goofy thinking after I hit the TBC at the end of the last chapter that I figured I'd continue on this track for a while.  Blowing up my island home depressed me a bit…Ok a lot but then what can I say? I spent almost half of my life in HI and I'd be just as bad as Torpedo if something like that really did happen. =(  

Steeler's going to learn a thing or two here that will probably have me hung from the nearest flagpole by my throat.  However! Please keep in mind that this is just fiction and it is an AU the way WWE is as an episode…also it is the type of fiction I write in other fandoms I am addicted too.  I will definitely rate this one R for content, for slash (homoerotic) implications to be exact.  Disclaimers are in Chapter 1.

It's Like Having Been Born Again. Pt 4

Having just broken up the history session, Grunt and Leila headed back to his quarters.  Leila had been spending a lot of time with the Joe and had moved a few of her personal belongings in with him.  Not that Grunt minded one bit.  He still slept on the couch out of principal, all the while cursing himself inside for his sense of chivalry.  Offering to make a light snack for the two, Leila went into the kitchen.  Grunt meanwhile went into the bedroom to change out of his uniform.  

After he changed into sweatpants and a t-shirt, Grunt went into the bathroom to wash his face.  He looked in the mirror and saw the tracks his tears had left on his face after learning of Ace's cruel fate.  Tears began to sting his eyes again as he thought about it some more.  Splashing cold water on his face in an effort to rid himself of the thoughts he scrubbed up and went back out into the bedroom.  He found himself flopping face first onto the bed, reveling in the wonderful scent that was Leila.  "Brain back into the skull!" He mentally chided himself as he lay there.

Leila peeked in then and went and got a tray to bring dinner into the room.  "Rob?" She asked, thinking he may have fallen asleep.  The bedding muffled his reply but he didn't move.  Leila shrugged and got a change of clothes out for herself.  Stepping back out after changing Leila was pleased to see that Grunt had rolled over onto his back and was now looking at the ceiling.  "If you are hungry the tray is on the nightstand?" Leila suggested to Grunt as she made her way onto the bed next to him.  

She got comfortable against the headboard and reached over to tousle his hair.  "Are you listening?" She asked.  She broke into a smile when he groaned and rolled back over to his stomach instead.

"No.  Don't.  Stop." He protested weakly as she tousled his hair again.  It took a moment before they both broke into laughter when they realized how pathetic his pleas had sounded.  "Ok bad porn dialog aside…cut it out." He said looking up at Leila as she continued to laugh.  Smirking, he rose up a bit to crawl over towards her. She was laughing even harder then before so she didn't notice him until he tousled her long blonde hair.  

She playfully swatted him away as she tried to regain her breath.  "You are incorrigible!" She admonished as he reached over to do it again.  Grunt changed his tactics in the last second and grabbed her ankles instead, pulling her more onto the bed.  Before she could react and get away from his grasp he jumped on top of her.  "Comfortable?" Leila teased as Grunt laid himself more directly on top of her.

"Very." He murmured, searching her face and studying its contours.  He was brushing his thumb against her cheek as he learned every detail that made her, Her.  Leila watched in fascination, as his dark eyes grew even darker with barely contained emotion.  With her free hand, she began trailing down his back, gently reaching under the hem of his t-shirt so she could draw lazy patterns on his skin with her fingernail.  Grunt leaned his face closer to hers, searching.  Leila reached up and kissed him very lightly to begin with, the kiss soon growing more passionate as they became more comfortable in each other's arms.  It was many hours later when they fell, exhausted into a deep sleep, still entwined around each other.

Steeler headed straight to his quarters after the meeting had broken up.  He opened the door to find the Baroness seated on one end of the couch, her legs tucked under her as she read from a large stack of reports.  "So who's killed who?" Steeler asked, knowing what the Baroness was reviewing.  

She looked up at him and frowned.  "I knew they've been planning to unseat each other for years now…to bad they never considered communications as part of their plans." She hissed, tossing the stack onto the coffee table.  Rubbing her temple she looked back up to Steeler.  "They're still waging war in the city.  However, their communication is virtually nonexistent, so it's impossible to tell which one has the upper hand.  Or if they've both been destroyed."  She closed her eyes and laid her head back on the sofa.

Steeler excused himself to go change out of his uniform.  He came back and saw that the Baroness hadn't moved from her position.  Deciding a peace offering was in his best interest he went into the kitchen where he found a ready pot of tea, he poured her a cup then one for himself and took both out to the living room.   "Here, looks like ya could use it." He said holding the tea out for her she opened an eye long enough to take the cup from him.  They sat in silence for a while, Steeler leaning back and placing his feet up on the coffee table.  

"So how did it go?" The Baroness asked a little while later, referring to his impromptu history lessons.

"Not good."

"I see."  

"I mean the information we got was invaluable." He stated.  "It's just that the information we got was terrible too." Steeler muttered as he took another sip.

This roused her from her relaxed position.  "I am sorry.  But you must understand…" She began, trying to figure out how to ease the man a little.  "Things here are difficult.  They are not the same.  People have changed, they're different from what you know." She said.

"Yeah I know Baroness…err Anna." He said not realizing his slip in her actual name until after he said it.  "I mean…" She placed a gentle hand over his mouth and smiled.

"That's what he used to call me.  I don't mind." She smiled.  "In fact I prefer it, Ralph."  

Steeler sighed and laid his head back.  Their situation was extraordinary at best, impossible at worst.  Then he thought of something he remembered from the meeting.  "Hey?"

"Hmm?" 

"Cov mentioned something about Tripwire, said it was a long story and could wait for later…do you know what she might have been talking about?"  Steeler asked.

The Baroness was thoughtful for a moment. "When did he come up?" She asked, thinking a few more details would help.

"Uh, I think it was right after she mentioned what happened at Yokosuka. His old man is a commander in the Navy and on our side he's stationed there." He replied.  "Grunt said something along the lines of 'poor guy' and she stopped.  That's when she said that there was a story behind Tripwire." He added hoping it would help.  It did.

Placing her tea on the table she turned and faced him, after a long pause she began.  "What I am going to tell you may be difficult to handle, but please understand that people sometimes do things…" She struggled for a moment for the right words. "They do things that help them to cope I guess?"  Steeler focused on her as she continued, wondering what the shy man had done that would cause both women to be leery at the mere mention of his name.

"Okay, why is everyone so jumpy on the subject?" Steeler asked.

"I found out after the resistance efforts were fully underway, from the other you." She gestured.  "My Steeler's initial reaction was not good at first." She continued.  She began by filling him in Tripwire's background history, a lot of which he already knew from the Tripwire he knew in his world.  "He was always so eager to try and please his father that he was constantly jumpy." That got a laugh out of him as he thought of all the times everyone scrambled for cover whenever Tripwire showed up.

A look from her sobered him a little. "Sorry Anna, go on." He apologized.

She gave him another wry look before continuing.  "Anyway, I guess when some newer recruits to the Joe team showed up, he became friends with one of them.  Unbeknownst to anyone at the time, that friendship grew into something quite different altogether."  Anna could tell from the look on his face that he understood where the story was going.  After another pause she continued.

"He never spoke about it to anyone until after the initial take over.  Mainly because he had no choice in the matter."  She explained.

"How do you mean?" 

"From what I understand at the time, Tripwire had gone to his family in Japan to settle things with his father.  As the story goes, he told his father that he was tired of living up to the expectations of everyone else.  He was not cut out for his chosen military lifestyle and had had enough." She said.  "What the Joes didn't know at the time, was that his family had disowned him for his honesty, and Tripwire was on his way back to America to formerly quit the military."

"Why was he disowned?" Steeler asked, not sure he'd like the answer.

"I'm getting to that." She said before continuing the story.  "As he was returning, that's when COBRA struck Yokosuka, everyone feared he'd been killed along with all the others there.  Scarlet was the first to suspect something was going on by Sea's reaction."

"Who's Sea?" 

"Tripwire's lover.  He was recruited under the name Sci-Fi.  He …"

"HE?" Steeler exclaimed.  "Okay. Now it all makes sense.  Jesus!  He?"  

She waited for him to absorb the news before continuing again.  "Like I said, this may be difficult to hear…" She paused again as Steeler began cursing some more.  After he had calmed down and apologized for his outburst she went on.  "It was the day after the initial attacks when the Joes learned that Tripwire was safe.  They were regrouping in the Pit when he walked in the door, not knowing what had happened to Yokosuka." 

The Baroness continued the story saying that Tripwire's lover practically fell into his arms thanking the gods that he was alive.  When Tripwire had learned of Yokosuka's fate he said nothing.  When asked why, he told the rest of the team his parents had disowned and that he felt no remorse for them.  The trip to Japan to confront his father had hardened him and steeled his resolve to live his life his way.   That's when Scarlet confronted the two about what she had seen when they thought Tripwire had been killed along with almost everyone else at the Japanese base.

"So his folks disowned him for being…" Steeler couldn't quite get the word out.

"His parents disowned him for standing up to them and wanting to drop out of the military, they never learned he was gay." The Baroness stated frankly.

"Oh." 

"At first there was tension when Tripwire decided to change his mind about leaving the military, especially under the circumstances of COBRA taking over.  A few days afterwards, when the Joes were disbanded Tripwire and Sci-fi took off together with the orders to do all they could in the form of guerilla warfare tactics.  From what I have heard, they've been quite successful too." She finished.

Steeler said nothing for a long time, thinking about all he'd heard.  The Baroness waited quietly for any questions or anything else he might want to say.  "So what do they do that's so successful?" Steeler finally asked.

She smiled.  "Think of them as the Resistance's Destro, if you will.  They design, build, procure and supply weapons to the Resistance, along with other necessities such as medicines, food and clothing." Her smile growing warmer as she spoke with pride what the two men had accomplished as a team.

"I take it that uh, no one is too concerned about them as a couple anymore?" Steeler asked judging from her response.

Understanding his confusion she spoke softly.  "No.  It does not matter anymore, to anyone.  It's a game of survival now, not order and discipline as you know life on your world." She said.  "People do what they can to survive and stay sane.  For Tripwire and Sci-Fi they take comfort in each other's presence." She added.

She moved closer to him and snuggled against his chest.  "Ralph?  Things change.  People evolve to meet those changes.  The old ways of thinking are no more here. I'm not asking that you embrace all of this, but please? Try to at least understand and respect that things are very different then how you know them."  She gently took his hand in both of hers and kissed the back of it.   He didn't pull away as he thought of what she said.

That sat like that for a while, not saying anything.  The Baroness yawned suddenly and excused herself as she headed towards the bedroom.  Steeler wished her a good night and remained where he was.  He had a lot on his mind as he looked down at the reports the Baroness had been reading when he'd come back earlier that evening.  

Picking up the pages he read them, hoping to find something she might have missed.  He found nothing and decided that bed was a good idea.  He crawled in next to the sleeping woman, gently placing a small kiss on her cheek.  The following morning he'd tell Clutch and Grunt what he had learned about their teammate and friend.  Then they'd begin the task of doing what they'd stayed behind to do.  Rebuild the team and take back the world from COBRA.

To Be Continued…


	5. It's Like Having Been Born Again. pt 5

It's Like Having Been Born Again.  Pt 5

Author chick's notes: Aloha, Talofa, Ohayo, G'day…pick one.^^  Now that they know a little bit more about what's going on…well almost ;)  The boys are going to set about rebuilding the team…but uh first Steeler has a little story to tell the other two. A little goofiness and then eh, the serious stuff begins again.  Any more burble from me and I'll give the chapter away so here goes! Enjoy.  PG for some swearing, and a few cracks which you'll see in a bit.

It's Like Having Been Born Again. Pt 5

It was morning.  The previous day had been long and arduous for all involved and this day didn't look like it was going to be any easier.  Steeler had told the Baroness earlier that he wanted to debrief Clutch and Grunt before joining in on the war session with her.  The Baroness agreed, saying it would give her a chance to coordinate things with Cover Girl and be prepared by the time he was done with his debriefing.  After meeting up in the main control room of the bunker, the two groups split up.  The Baroness, Cover Girl, and Leila heading towards an office to discuss their plans, and the men making their way back to the library that had become their own private war room of sorts.

"Okay we need to talk." Steeler said, looking at Clutch as he did so.  Clutch mistook his commander's words and spoke up.

"Oh whoa wait a second here! I was all set to go sleep out on the couch last night…" Clutch started in his defense.  Grunt tried to cover up his laughter with a hand as Steeler gave him an odd look.  He had no idea what Clutch was thinking he'd meant by needing to talk and he wasn't exactly thrilled either to learn what he suspected.

"You scuz! Ya could have least said 'no' before she had the chance to take her cloths off!" Steeler started in on the mechanic.  Steeler glared at Grunt who was still struggling to keep his laughter under control.  "Shut up, yer next." He added,  knowing full well from Grunt's mood that Clutch wasn't the only one who had tangled in the sheets the night before.  

"Uh Steeler? She weren't wearing anything to begin with." Clutch grinned, remembering how the previous night had unfolded.  The other two stared at him as he continued.  "…I also got a chance to see her tags this morning…they read 'Steinburg, C'." He added sadly.  Remembering how he found them on the bathroom counter earlier that morning.

"Oh god.  Poor Cov." Steeler wasn't sure how to take the news. "At least that explains why she was so happy when she saw you yesterday." Remembering the kiss the two had shared in the library.

"Yeah it does." Grunt added thinking the same thing as Steeler.

Clutch muttered a small 'yeah', before Steeler looked at Grunt.  "And yer excuse?" He said.

"Uh." Grunt stammered.  "One thing led to another…tickle fight and uh, you get the idea" He mumbled.

Steeler thought things over for a moment before continuing.  "I don't believe you two!  We haven't even been here a week and already the crap starts!  Whatever.  It's done."  Glancing at Clutch, Steeler jumped to defend his own honor. "And before you even start smart ass, no I haven't! Yes we've slept together, as in gone to bed, at least partially dressed to sleep!  Nothing more."   Grunt smothered another round of laughter as the other two glared at each other.

"Anyway, that's not what we need to talk about." Steeler said, changing the subject.  "I found out about Tripwire last night." This got the men's attention, wondering what the big story was that Cover Girl had mentioned the day prior.

"Was he hurt?"

"He ain't defected has he?"

Steeler shook his head no and told them the story he'd learned the night before.

"He's WHAT?" Clutch bellowed, not believing what he'd just heard.

"You heard me.  Tripwire and his boyfriend run a set-up similar to the one Destro has on our side." Steeler went on to explain what the Baroness had said of how invaluable the couple's services had become to the Resistance.

"Trip's …wow.  Wow." Grunt was fully taken by surprise as was Clutch.  The only difference being that Clutch was livid.

"I don't care if he wins this single handed, that still don't excuse…"

Steeler cut Clutch off before he could continue his tirade.  "Shut it!"  Clutch shut his mouth and glared.  Steeler took a deep breath to calm himself before going on.  "Look, ask Cov to explain it to you.  She obviously knows more then we do.  Okay?"  Clutch muttered a few choice words under his breath but agreed to do as asked.  Grunt who had remained quiet, looked cautiously between the two fuming men.

Nothing was said for a moment and the tension in the room grew thick, before Steeler went on to explain that no one had any idea of what was going on in the streets of DC.  "That's what the girls are talking about right now." 

"So what do we do?" Grunt asked.

Steeler let out a breath he'd been holding.  "We keep an eye out for any info on what those two are doing." Referring to Destro and Cobra Commander.  "In the meantime, we start rebuilding the team…both teams." He added, remembering that the October Guard was as much a part of the resistance movement as the Joe team of this world.

"Yeah but how?" Clutch snapped, anger still raging inside him.

"Well.  Cov knows how to get a hold of that one chick." He started.  "Diana." Remembering her name after a moment.  "I'm assuming that either she, or someone else they know, knows how to contact and wrangle up the rest of the Guard, not to mention the Joes."  Grunt and Clutch nodded.  "I'm pretty safe in assuming that the 'friendly' fued between us and the Guard is a thing of the past." Steeler added, thinking of how both teams would snap at each other in his world.  "I mean shit, they both have one hell of a common goal now." He sighed.

"So, that's it?  That's what's on today's agenda?" Grunt asked.

"Today, tomorrow and so on until things change, or the teams are rebuilt and we can attack." Steeler said, rising to make his way to the door.  "C'mon, the girls are probably done and all we're doing is wasting time.  Let's go."

The trio made their way back to the main control where they found the women.  Cover Girl was at a terminal working on her first contact and Clutch went over to her.  Leila was also busy at a terminal printing up a list of information the Baroness had requested.  Steeler made his way to the Baroness and waited until she was done talking to whoever was on the other end of line.

"So you told them?" She asked, hanging up the phone in the process.

Steeler glanced to where Cover Girl and Clutch were as he answered.  "Yeah.  Cov's probably gonna have to knock some sense into his thick skull, but yeah they know."  At her inquisitive look he spoke again. "It's gonna take a while but yeah I guess I can be cool with it too." He said.  

She smiled wryly not entirely believing him but left it at that.  "While you were having your debriefing, we decided to get a start on recall efforts." The Baroness started.  "I'm assuming that is what Courtney is doing now." She added pointing to the other side of the room where Cover Girl was just finishing up.  Steeler remembered what both women had said about the one rule of never discussing who knew whom and remained quiet.  The Baroness sensed this and smiled again.  "Because of the nature of our present situation, we broke our little rule and divulged the knowledge of who each of us can contact.  Just not how to." She added.

"Yeah I guess in these close quarters something's gonna slip…or be figured out." He winked.  She laughed as he said it.  "Leila has a list of things I want to go over." She started again.  "Would you mind helping me?" She asked.

"Sure thing."  Steeler smiled, making his way over to Leila to retrieve the data she'd just finished printing up.  With the help of Grunt and Leila, they began breaking down the information they had into a more understandable order.

Cover Girl looked up as Clutch approached.  "Hey sweetie." She smiled.  

Clutch looked at her for a moment then decided he may as well ask.  "You knew the thing about Tripwire wouldn't go over to well didn't ya?" He asked.  She sighed as he continued.  "Steeler told us.  I guess the Baroness had told him last night." Clutch answered her unasked question.  "Look, let's talk about it later okay?" He said wanting to change the subject.

Cover Girl offered an understanding look before a beep from her monitor got her attention.  "Hold that thought." She said as she set about decoding the incoming message.  After reading it she turned the screen off and rose up.  "C'mon, Anya will want to know I got successful for a change." She winked.

"Hey?" Cover Girl greeted as her and Clutch joined the four hunched over a large desk.  "I got two confirms.  I'm still waiting for the rest." She said.  "Dusty's having a field day in Saudi making life hell for the COBRA troops stationed there."

"Excellent." The Baroness purred.  The Middle East had proven to be a hard task for COBRA to conquer, knowing that the Joe's desert expert was helping the place stay that way was most satisfying.

"Figures he'd be somewhere hot and miserable, and loving every second of it." Grunt smirked.

Cover Girl slapped his shoulder for the crack.  "Anyway!" She said, shooting Grunt a look.  "For number two I need to go to 'Frisco, to help wrap things up before ehh…" She stammered, remembering what Clutch had just said.

Grunt figured out her hesitation.  "Let me guess, arms dealing?" He grinned.  Cover Girl nodded and he went on. "If you need a hand I'll go." Before anyone spoke up in protest he spoke again. "You two would probably be counter productive and knock his block off.  I'll go…if uh ya need a hand that is."  Grunt offered, shooting Steeler and Clutch a look.

  
"Perfect!" Cover Girl smiled, elbowing Clutch in the side when she saw he was about to say something.  "We leave first thing tomorrow then." She added.  

"Tripwire's in San Fran?  Figures." Steeler commented.

Cover Girl rolled her eyes and muttered 'whatever'.  Then she told them that she had filled both contacts in on the situation involving the three stranded Joes.  "They know the basics, so they're prepared if you guys seem out of it." She added.  "Dusty's going to stay where he is for the moment.  Apparently there's an attack in the works that he can't abandon right now." Cover Girl explained.

"Okay, makes sense.  Any idea when he can join us?" Steeler asked.

"Probably as soon as a week, maybe longer.  At least that's the general estimate he gave me." Cover Girl replied.  "Trip and Sea have a huge shipment of weapons they swiped and are trying to get into Resistance hands.  If they're gonna join us they'll need help clearing it out fast." She added, referring to her reasons for heading west.

The group made plans for the remainder of the morning.  When everything was settled, they got underway with their assigned tasks.  Cover Girl would help get Grunt set up with false identification and a disguise.  Steeler and The Baroness would watch out for any sign of the current COBRA battle ending in the capitol, while trying to gather what they could in the way of information regarding who had the upper hand.  Clutch would begin working in the hanger familiarizing himself with COBRA equipment and Leila would go between each group and help where she could.

"Okay.  I have my handheld set up to receive any more responses I get from my summons." Cover Girl started.  "I'll let you know ASAP who calls back and what their situations are, when I find out." She added.  Cover Girl then turned to Grunt with an evil look in her eye.  "So soldier boy, how's punk sound?" She asked as she took him by the arm to change his appearance and get him ready for their trip the following day.  Steeler snickered when he heard Grunt gulp as he was led away for his make over.

To Be Continued…


	6. It's Like Having Been Born Again. pt 6

It's Like Having Been Born Again.Pt 6 

Author chick's notes: Some crude innuendo (yay!) and swearing, other then that not much…at least not much that I'm going to spill here anyway. ;) 

It's Like Having Been Born Again. Pt 6 

It was a wonderful dream yet Leila couldn't figure out what the sudden buzzing sound was.A loud slap and she bolted up from where she had been sleeping.After shaking the last of her sleepiness away she saw the clock, and the hand draped over it where the snooze button was.Smiling to herself she leaned over and nibbled on Grunt's ear.All she got for her efforts were a few mumbled curses about 'ungodly hours' and 'no the ear's still tender'.Change of tactics, she reached under the covers until she found what she was looking for.A few slow strokes and Grunt became more alert. 

"Unnn, Jesus Lei." He groaned as he cracked an eye open to look up at his tormentor. 

Satisfied that he was now somewhat awake, Leila stopped her slow torture and got out of bed."I'll get some coffee going while you get ready." She said merrily as she donned a robe and left the room. 

"That's cold!" He shouted after her as he rose from bed and made his way into the bathroom."God damn sneaking underhanded…" He muttered as he felt around for the light switch.The light gleamed to life and he shut his eyes to the sudden brightness.After a moment he began opening them, letting them adjust to the light.When he was able to, he opened his eyes completely, quickly shutting them again when he saw his reflection in the mirror. 

Cover Girl had did as promised the day before when she said she'd change his appearance.Gone was his usual brown hair.In its place was a rich blue, the cut was different as well.Shorn nearly to the scalp at the back and only slightly longer on top, she'd shown him how to spike it for the look she was going for.A few more muttered curses about women in general and he was in the shower.Cover Girl had warned him that he'd see a lot of blue in the shower water and he was beginning to wonder if he'd wash her efforts out entirely. 

Any thoughts of having ruined his disguise left when he felt a familiar kiss at the back of his neck as slender arms encircled his waist."Coffee should be ready by the time we're done.Want help?" Leila purred as she nuzzled the back of his neck.The shower took a little longer then expected but soon the two were dressed in robes and sitting at the kitchen table having a light breakfast. 

"I actually like that look." Leila offered as she leaned forward for a better view.Grunt raised an eyebrow at her but said nothing.Cover Girl had not only messed with his hair.She'd given him contact lenses that turned his plain brown eyes into a dark shade of blue, similar to what she'd done to his hair…then there was the earring.True it didn't hurt but an earring?Leila had had fun the previous night with it, nibbling around the silver stud while teasing pleasure out of him with her hands. 

Glancing at the clock nearby, Leila returned her gaze to Grunt."It's almost time Rob." She said.She wasn't looking forward to this parting either.True they had just met but she had quickly found herself enraptured by the man sitting across from her, gulping the last of his coffee down.She said nothing as she returned to the bedroom with Grunt to help him finish getting dressed. 

"At least I'll be comfortable for the flight." He muttered pulling on the black jeans Cover Girl had chosen.He was about to tuck in the white dress shirt when Leila suggested he leave it out.Grunt shrugged and did as she had suggested.Leila played with his hair a little getting it into the right style that Cover Girl had shown while he finished dressing. 

"All set?" She asked when he rose and grabbed the duffle he'd packed the night before. 

"I guess this is it for a while." Grunt said looking down into her eyes."Ah shit." He dropped the bag and took her into his arms for a last minute kiss.'Timeframe dumb ass.'He reminded himself as he reluctantly pulled away.Leila followed him to the front door of the suite, having decided the previous night that she wouldn't be able to watch him leave.Another quick kiss and he turned and made his way towards the hanger.Leila watched him for as long as she could then closed the door, hugging herself she leaned back against it and silently wished him a safe journey.Soon she'd have to be in the Control Center with her mistress, helping her get information and gathering more troops. 

Grunt got to the hanger and found a car idling, waiting for him and Cover Girl to take them to an airstrip nearby.There was no sign of his partner as he got into the backseat and made himself comfortable.His mind was elsewhere so he was startled a bit when Cover Girl flopped down into the seat next to him. 

"Hi." She mumbled sipping from a large cup of coffee.Grunt laughed and returned the greeting then they were on their way. 

Half an hour later the two were in the air.With the Baroness' influence in COBRA no one would question the private flight logged in and heading towards the west coast.They were in the air for roughly an hour before Grunt decided to see if Cover Girl was awake enough for conversation."I don't remember you not being a morning person." He said as he watched her glower into her third cup of coffee. 

"I usually am…however! I spent a better part of the night trying to get that thick skulled moron to accept facts as they are here." She hissed.Grunt laughed knowing full well as to whom and what she was referring too. 

"Now that's the Cover Girl I know." He laughed."When it comes to Clutch at any rate." He added.She narrowed her gaze at him and snorted.Grunt said nothing for a moment before remembering another fact regarding the woman seated next to him."You married him." He teased. That got a smile out of her, if a wry one at that. 

"I was coerced." She retorted.Grunt took her hand in his as a gesture of reassurance.Knowing that it must have been difficult for Cover Girl to know that she had a second chance for happiness handed to her by a twist of fate and a freak accident.She smiled gratefully up at him before reaching up and rearranging a stray lock of hair. 

"By the way?" Grunt asked after a while."Why an earring?" Grunt could understand the other changes but not the earring.Cover Girl smiled at him. 

"Leila thought you'd look cute with one so I did it." She said, explaining why she had taken great delight in piercing his right ear. 

"Leila?All she's done so far is nibble on it!" He exclaimed. "Not that I mind but Jesus." 

Cover Girl looked thoughtful for a moment."Hmmm? I see…" The look went from thoughtful to evil as she curled her tongue in her mouth and spoke again. "Oral fixation?" She teased, the words sounding distorted from the way she had held her tongue in her mouth.They both burst out laughing at the joke before returning to a companionable silence. 

Several hours later they had arrived in San Francisco.Cover Girl had explained on the trip over that Cobra Commander had kept the city relatively intact, mainly as a place for the troops to play.He'd also done the same with several other cities in the US as well, the Baroness believing he'd done so out of some warped twisted logic. 

A car was waiting for them as they disembarked the plane.Grunt put their bags into the trunk and got in next to Cover Girl who had handed the driver a slip of paper with an address.Tripwire's Grunt figured.A short ten-minute drive and they arrived at their final destination.The driver had opened the door for the two and got their bags out of the trunk for them.Cover Girl thanked him and headed up the steps towards a simple flat. 

"Oh when we get inside take your shoes off." She said.Grunt remembered that the Tripwire he knew had become fascinated with Japanese culture when he had lived there as a child, he figured that this version had also had a similar fascination with the place.Suddenly the door opened and it took a moment for Grunt to recognize the man who answered as Tripwire.He was wearing wire-rimmed glasses and dressed head to toe in black. 

"Courtney!Rob!" He smiled as he allowed the two in.Cover Girl kicked out of the mules she was wearing while Grunt stooped down to undo his hiking boots."Thanks." Tripwire said when he saw the gesture.Grunt watched the man as he gracefully led them to a small yet comfortable living room.The décor was heavy on the Japanese influence and suited the place rather nicely. 

Grunt knew that Tripwire had been filled in on his situation so he didn't feel to out of place when he mentioned that Tripwire was no where near as accident prone as the one he knew.Tripwire laughed before telling Grunt that it was only when he stopped trying to live up to everyone's expectations except his own that he found that he was indeed quite graceful."You'll notice nothing's broken." He winked before asking his guests if they'd like something to eat or drink."I just made some tea…" Cover Girl wrinkled her nose at the suggestion and he laughed."Or you could raid the fridge for whatever that maniac has stashed in there." He smiled. 

"Speaking of 'that maniac', where is he?" Cover Girl asked as she made her way into the kitchen to make coffee instead. 

"In the shower.We were out late last night securing a pick up." Tripwire explained.Cover Girl had explained to Grunt how the couple operated so there was no need for further explanation, as he took a seat in a comfortable chair. 

"Hey Robbie? What do you want?" Cover Girl called out from the kitchen as she poured herself some coffee. 

"Beer if its there." He replied.Cover Girl came out with a beer and handed it to him.They passed the time with small talk before a deep rich voice interrupted their conversation. 

"Hey Babe…I got Chaz scheduled for a 'ménage a trios' tonight...Oh hello!" Sci-Fi greeted when he saw that their expected company had arrived.Cover Girl smiled up at him from her spot next to Tripwire on the couch, Grunt waved politely."Hold that thought." He said as he made his way into the kitchen.Grunt noticed he held a bottle of aspirin rather tightly in his hand.He looked back at the two on the couch and saw that both of them were mouthing something at him.It took a moment but he finally saw that they were trying to tell him that 'ménage a trios' was the term they used for a weapons pick up.Grunt nodded that he'd gotten the message when Sci-Fi spoke up again. 

"Babe?What did I get wasted on last night?" He asked as he stared into a cabinet full of various liquor bottles. 

"The usual." 

"'K.Thanks." He said as he got out the Jack Daniels and added some to his coffee.Grunt watched as he swallowed a couple of pills then washed them down with the spiked coffee.The old 'chase the hang over away with a bit of the dog that bit you' routine he noted, having done it himself a few times in the past.Sci-Fi then made his way into the living room and flopped down on the couch next to Cover Girl."Hi. Miss me?" He teased as he placed a small kiss on her cheek. 

"Yes, scoundrel." She teased back. 

"Cool." He grinned as he took the towel off from around his head.Grunt had seen the roster photos of the man but like Tripwire he too looked different from the time the photos had been taken.Instead of short brown hair, Sci-Fi now had long hair dyed black with a bright green streak in the bangs.Sci-Fi looked up at Grunt and smirked."She had fun with you didn't she?" He asked when he got a better look at Grunt's appearance. 

"There's an understatement." He replied shooting Cover Girl a look, who poked her tongue out at him. 

"Ah don't sweat it.You'll blend in looking like that here." Sci-Fi offered as he towel dried his hair a little more.The conversation switched to getting Grunt acquainted to Tripwire and Sci-fi and the couple learning of his story and how he had ended up in this dark twisted parody of the reality he knew. 

"Do you remember any specifics about the device?" Tripwire asked.Both he and Sci-Fi had gone into techno mode trying to theorize how the accident may have been caused. 

"Nope.Just that it was about this long and when it went off, we ended up here." Grunt said, holding his hands apart to give an approximate estimate of the size of the matter transmuter.The two began discussing ideas in highly technical terms to each other, leaving Cover Girl and Grunt to look at each other in confusion before Grunt interrupted them."Uh Trip?English?" He said. 

Both Tripwire and Sci-Fi stopped mid sentence and looked at him in surprise. "Man, it's been a while since I've heard that." Tripwire said, a wistful smile on his face."For safety reasons, we go by our given names."Grunt apologized and said he understood the reasoning behind it when Cover Girl piped up from between the couple. 

"Given names my ass!Try 'Tor' and 'Sea'." She said, jerking her thumb at each man as she said his name."Or 'Babe' and 'Koi' if they're talking to each other." She teased.Tripwire smirked and Sci-Fi elbowed her. 

"Well yeah, the short versions of our given names." Tripwire said."Seeing as we were both cursed with cruel parents." He laughed.Grunt remembered what he'd been told about Tripwire's parents disowning him but said nothing.Figuring that if it did come out, he'd wait for the man himself to bring it up. 

They continued talking a bit more before getting down to business.Sci-Fi said how he had told their contact what time and place to meet them at and how to go about getting the shipment out of the city.Grunt marveled at the ingeniousness of their scheme.They had most of the bars and clubs in the area working for the Resistance.Like bootleggers during Prohibition, a contact, posing as a liquor delivery person would show up at a certain time and drop off whatever the bar had ordered.Then in the boxes from the last delivery he would sneak the weapons or whatever had been requested out of the place and then out of the city. 

Tripwire and Sci-Fi would already have the boxes ready before any of the bars or clubs would open, then show up later that night and pose as patrons of the place.Tripwire mingling in the crowd and Sci-Fi staying at the bar near the stockroom.Both men keeping an eye out for any spies who might be working for COBRA.Occasionally others would show up to pose as employees and help move larger shipments.That's where Cover Girl and Grunt came in.They had gotten a hold of a particularly large amount of supplies in their last heist and needed help moving it quickly. 

"So Court, you're on bartender duty and uh." Sci-Fi stammered."You can skip out if you want to.It's a pretty deviant scene." He told Grunt.Tripwire narrowed his eyes and turned to his lover. 

"Koi?" Tripwire said, using the Japanese term for 'beloved'."Where's Chaz meeting us tonight?" He asked wryly. 

"The Café, why?" Sci-Fi asked still a little tired from the previous night's activity and not fully alert. 

"Exactly!It's not like Daddy's or anything." Tripwire said, eliciting a giggle out of Cover Girl who sat between them. 

"Oh yeah." Sci-Fi said."Okay never mind Rob.The Café has a pretty mixed crowd, nothing to outrageous." He continued."You can work stock duty and help Chaz get the truck loaded." He said, figuring that Grunt wouldn't mind it too much. 

"Sure." Grunt replied then asked how long it would take to get to the place. 

"It's a five minute walk up the street." Tripwire said.At Grunt's surprised look Cover Girl spoke up. 

"Do you know where in 'Frisco you are exactly?" She asked.At Grunt's 'no', she filled him in."This is the Castro District.Since about the late sixties, its been known as a haven for gays and lesbians." She explained. 

"Oh, okay." Grunt shrugged and went back to listening to what Sci-Fi had planned for him.Noting that Grunt didn't seem to taken aback, Tripwire and Sci-Fi took turns explaining the procedures they had in place for their work and contingency plans just in case they were caught. 

After everything was settled Sci-Fi looked at his mug, then rose up from the couch."Mmmm. Coffee…" He murmured as he made his way out to the kitchen.Tripwire shook his head at his beloved's one-track mind then suggested to Cover Girl and Grunt that they'd be up late and might want to rest. 

"We just got up before you arrived here, so we won't be going back to bed I don't think." He started."If you want you can share the guestroom or one of you could take our bed for a nap." He added. 

Cover Girl let Grunt have the guestroom and said she'd crash in her host's bed until later when she'd take the futon in the living room."That sucker's sooo comfortable." She purred before Grunt could protest.Grunt was undressing when he heard Cover Girl remark about the main bedroom.He heard Tripwire explain that he had to compromise in the apartment's décor and had let Sci-Fi take the bedroom to do with as he pleased."That explains the dungeon look." Cover Girl joked, remarking that the room clashed with the rest of the place.Grunt shook his head in amusement and slipped into bed, it wasn't long before he was fast asleep. 

Later that evening, having rested and eaten, they set off for The Café.Everything went off without a hitch much to Grunt's relief.Sci-Fi had found a spy and dealt with her in a rather amusing fashion.Cover Girl was bartending near where Sci-Fi was seated and had slipped a drug into the woman's drink. Before long she was completely intoxicated and Sci-Fi, pretending to be concerned for her well being, picked her up and took her to the bathroom, where he left her.Someone thinking she had OD'd then called for an ambulance and she was whisked away.The drug would leave her memory blank and feeling sick for a few days but wouldn't cause her any real harm.Another plus was that it didn't show up in drug screens either, so no one was the wiser. 

It was nearly sunrise when Grunt and Cover Girl made it back to the apartment.Sci-Fi and Tripwire had left when the bar officially closed.Tripwire had gone home and Sci-Fi had gone with Chaz to drop off the shipment they were smuggling out.Grunt came out of the bathroom as Sci-Fi walked in saying that everything had gone according to his plans.They figured they'd take a day to rest and give the couple time to arrange for a house sitter before heading back east. 

Cover Girl had received word from the rest of her contacts that they'd be making their way to the main hideout as soon as they could.Diana being the exception seeing as she was in hiding because COBRA was actively seeking out Resistance fighters in the region she was currently at.The former October Guard member saying she'd get there when she could in her message.Cover Girl forwarded the information, including her group's plans to the Baroness.The following morning, all four were on a plane and heading back to the bunker that Grunt knew as 'home'. 

To Be Continued… 


	7. It's Like Having Been Born Again. pt 7

It's Like Having Been Born Again.  Pt 7

Author chick's notes:  Kinda sorta short here.  Clutch is in for a surprise and …=) you'll see.  Some language, but then you'll see why when you read.  I can't help it! Honest!

It's Like Having Been Born Again. Pt 7

The man watched as Clutch hunched over the STUN swearing at the lack of quality workmanship used in making the vehicle.  He'd arrived earlier and was stunned to see a Joe presumed dead, doing what he was known for.  He suppressed a laugh as he made his way over and was grateful for the facemask the COBRA uniforms were designed with.  He knew there was no way he'd be able to keep a straight face when he spoke to the mechanic.

Clutch had gotten used to the blue uniformed soldiers that he saw all over the bunker, but he was still a little unnerved when he saw one approaching, a duffle bag slung over his shoulder and his gun held in plain view.  He tucked a wrench nearby where he could grab it and defend himself if need be as the soldier approached.  Clutch wasn't expecting what he heard though as the soldier steeped up to him.

"Now y'all ain't gonna knock my block off fer being all sneaky on ya, are ya buddy?" The soldier drawled, eternally grateful for the facemask that hid his grin as he spoke.  Clutch's jaw dropped he knew that voice!

"Thunder you god damned sneaking sonovabitch!" Clutch laughed as Thunder removed his disguise.  "I could a killed you, you stupid bastard!" The two shared a laugh as Thunder tossed the helmet aside on a workbench.  "Jesus.  When was the last time you saw a barber?" Clutch asked as Thunder reached back to straighten out the ponytail that had gotten messed up in the helmet.  

Thunder raised an eyebrow and smirked.  "Look who's callin' the kettle black.  When's the last time y'all shaved?" He retorted, smirk still firmly in place.  

They looked at each other for a moment before either spoke up again.  "So what are you doing here?  Dressed like one of them snakes I might add?" Clutch asked.

"The Baroness called me in, something about rebuilding the team." Thunder replied.  "And as for the monkey suit…" He started waving a hand down the front of the uniform as he did so.  "It was the only way I could get here without being suspicious." He finished explaining.  Thunder smiled for a moment then the expression changed.   "I thought you was dead man." Thunder said, a hint of pain in his voice as he spoke.

Clutch sighed and told Thunder it was a long story.  "Well tell ya what.  You tell me all about it while I go change then let the Baroness know I'm here.  These things itch like a mother fucker." Thunder said in disgust as he pulled at his shirt.  The two began heading towards the living quarters when another voice spoke up.

"While you're at it, you can tell me too dude." Another soldier said.  Pulling his disguise off and smiling.  "Thunder you need a fucking haircut." Rock-n-Roll laughed as the two men gaped at him, disguised, like Thunder as a COBRA soldier.

"Holy shit! When the hell did you get here?" Thunder exclaimed, clapping his hand on the large gunner's back.

"About two minutes ago, just in time to see you nearly get knocked by the grease monkey." Rock-n-Roll laughed as he looked over to Clutch.  "I've got a feeling that this is gonna be some story dude." He said wistfully, like the others he too thought that Clutch was dead.

"That's one way of putting it." Clutch said as he led the two to his quarters.  The three made themselves comfortable in Clutch's room.  They were currently in the master suite talking while Thunder and Rock-n-Roll changed out of their disguises.  "And that's it.  Now we're here." Clutch finished up telling his story as Thunder let out a slow whistle.

"Damn.  An' LJ and them went back?" Thunder asked, referring to the other Joes who had seen for themselves the nightmare Clutch had volunteered to stay in.

"Yup.  Her, Flint, Footloose, Airtight, and Barbeque.  Barely made it too." Clutch replied.  Rock-n-Roll furrowed his brow before speaking up.

"So then, the Clutch, Grunt, and Steeler we know, are dead?" He asked.  Clutch closed his eyes and nodded.  "Jesus." He added as he thought of his comrades wasting away on the Proving Grounds.

They talked some more as Cover Girl returned.  She closed the front door and could hear the men laughing in what sounded like the bedroom.  She was tired from her trip to San Francisco and ran a hand through her auburn hair as she made her way towards the room.  She peeked in to make sure the coast was clear, before announcing herself to them.

"Thunder you still dress like shit." She teased as she kicked her shoes off and went over to hug the newcomers.  

Thunder looked down at his tattered jeans and black t-shirt as she stepped up to him.  "What's wrong with Metallica?" He asked, gesturing to the design on the shirt before grabbing her into a massive bear hug.

"They're loud." She teased as she made her way over to Rock-n-Roll.

"That's why they're so cool." He said as he took his turn hugging the former model.

They talked for a few more minutes before Rock-n-Roll looked between her and Clutch. "Sooo, um?" He stammered, trying to figure out the best way to ask.

Cover Girl caught on and answered for him. "Yeah he knows." She said smiling fondly at Clutch who grinned from where he was seated on the bed.

"And?" Thunder asked, then laughed at her 'shut up' as she flopped down on the bed next to Clutch.

"Well boys, not that I don't mind seeing you here, but I'm dead tired, I barely slept in San Fran." She said as she yawned suddenly.

"Frisco? What the hell were you doing there?" Thunder asked.

"Nabbed me some weapons dealers." She winked before turning to Clutch.  "And NO! They aren't going to jump each other at every chance!" She said when she saw his face darken a little.  "Don't believe me, ask Robbie! He saw for himself." She added.

"Trip and Sci-Fi are here?" Rock-n-Roll asked excitedly. "Bitchin!" 

Cover Girl pointed in the general direction as she explained where they were setting up house.  "'Cross the hall and one door over." She mumbled.  Rock-n-Roll and Thunder left to greet their teammates as Clutch stayed behind to talk to Cover Girl.

"How'd it go?" Clutch asked as Cover Girl got up to take a shower.

"Great.  No hiccups at all." She explained, as she got undressed.  She saw him turn his head to the side and smirked.  "Don't even tell me you're going to be shy all of a sudden." She teased tossing her bra at him then laughing when he blushed.  Clutch took the silky item off his head where it landed and got up to grab her.

"No." He said holding her close. "I was just trying to be a gentleman was all." He finished explaining himself.  Cover Girl snorted and wriggled her way out of his arms.

"My ass pal." She said as she headed towards the bathroom.

Clutch could hear the shower turn on and the door sliding back as she stepped in.  "Damn!" He swore when he realized how her nudity had affected him.  "Well I am all grimed up from that piece of crap downstairs." He smirked as he too stripped and made his way into the shower to join her.  They would join everyone in the Control Room later, much later.  They remained blissfully unaware meanwhile that events were unfolding that would change things dramatically as they sank into bed together, still damp from their shared shower.

To Be Continued…  Dun Dun DUN!   =) Mwhahahahaha.


	8. It's Like Having Been Born Again. pt 8

It's Like Having Been Born Again.  Pt 8

Author chick's notes: R rating! This chapter is highly graphic in nature and a tad on the violent side…okay downright gruesome.

It's Like Having Been Born Again. Pt 8

It was after midnight in the capitol.  The COBRA civil war had broken down into rapid skirmishes and gun fights.  Cobra Commander and Destro, the two commanders responsible for the war were nowhere to be found by their followers, but they weren't sitting back idly either.  In what remained of the Cobra Commander memorial, two figures stalked each other in an intense game of cat and mouse.  Both were injured but not yet willing to give.  The pain from his gunshot wound to the leg had become too intense and he found himself seated behind what remained of the base of the former statue to the COBRA leader.  A shot rang out.  Blinding pain in his shoulder let him know he'd been hit.  He looked up and saw his foe standing there, blood seeping from his arm where he too had been shot.  Then the world went black.

Further west of the battlegrounds a plane flew in low to avoid radar detection.  A figure jumped from it followed immediately by another.  Both jumpers deploying their chutes as soon as they jumped to avoid becoming bloody stains on the ground that rapidly rushed to meet them.  The agent the Baroness had sent to meet the two watched as they both landed and quickly rolled their chutes.  He waited anxiously until they approached, the taller of the two limping a little due to a sprained ankle received while landing.  The agent took the chutes from both of them and led them towards the main Control Room of the bunker.  Off in the distance, a lone figure hiked towards the landing site.  Having seen the plane fly overhead and the two jumpers, the figure picked up its pace.

Clutch and Cover Girl had joined the rest in the Control Room when the agent followed by the two newcomers walked in.  Both wore Arabic style shrouds and varied greatly in size, almost a foot and a half in height alone separated the two.  Clutch watched as the taller of the two removed his hood.  "You choose to stay here?"  The southwestern accent had mellowed some due to years of speaking mainly Arabic but the voice was the same.  Dusty had arrived, and he brought company.  "You're more then welcomed too, believe me.  We could use all the help we can get." He smiled warmly at the three Joes he knew were not from his reality.

Dusty introduced his partner as Imani, as she lowered the scarf from her face.  In keeping with her native tradition she left her shawl on to cover her head, her youthful features were striking to say the least.  She had rich caramel coloured skin and from what little did show, a deep rich mahogany mane of hair.  But it was her eyes that caught their attention first.  They were the colour of a tropical sea, and very pale against her dark complexion.  "Imani is my wife." Dusty smiled as he made the introductions.

Dusty went on to explain how he and Imani had met and how they had become man and wife.  In the deserts of the Saudi peninsula they were an efficient deadly team.  Imani's sharp shooting and fighting skills rivaled his own, Dusty bragged with pride.  Dusty had found Imani in the ruins of her village.  She was barely seventeen at the time and she had been orphaned by the attack that had left nothing but smoldering debris where a tiny village once stood.  It took him some time to gain her trust but when he did they quickly went from friends to lovers.  He had taught her to fight and she surprised him by how quickly she had mastered her lessons.

Cover Girl watched, as Imani would occasionally smirk up at her husband in amusement as he told his story.  She smiled as she saw she had a kindred spirit in the tiny desert warrior.  The reunion was going along nicely until one of the soldiers on monitor duty broke it up with his frantic call.

"Baroness! I found this on all the television stations!" He cried as he punched up the broadcast onto the main monitor.  

"…Of the world!" Cobra Commander's voice hissed on the screen.  The Joes gathered near each other as they watched the broadcast.  "Treason was committed against your Emperor!  The traitor has been tried and found guilty of his crimes against me!"  The speech went on.  The view changed from Cobra Commander to the steps of the White House.  There clad only in a simple loincloth was Destro, battered and bloody.  His facemask had been removed and placed at the head of a large slab of stone.  Destro was lashed to the slab with ropes and his punishment began.  "For his crimes, he will pay the ultimate price.  Death." Cobra Commander could be heard over the bloody scene unfolding on the screen. 

Cover Girl shut her eyes to the horrors unfolding and buried her face into Clutch's chest, she only wished she could shut the memories off as easily.  The trio of Joes who had only arrived to this dimension watched in horror as the former COBRA arm's dealer was brutally tortured to death.  It wasn't until Tripwire spoke that they knew why Cover Girl and several others reacted to the grizzly display the way they did.  Clutch felt his jaw muscles jump as he clenched his teeth and closed his eyes to the horror.

"That's how Ace died." Tripwire whispered, tears running down his face as Sci-Fi placed a comforting hand on his shoulder.  Tripwire leaned back into his lover's welcomed embrace, before turning to bury his face in Sci-Fi's shoulder, he couldn't bare to watch anymore as the memories flooded back to him of the pilot's fate.  Sci-Fi rubbed Tripwire's back as he watched the proceedings unfold, his face betraying no emotions.

Dusty would glance occasionally down to Imani who also showed no emotion save for her tears.  He turned his attention back to the screen as the executioner picked up a sharp lethal looking hook.  Thunder closed his eyes, wishing he could turn his excellent hearing off as well as Destro's screams of agony filled the room.  Grunt winced as the evisceration began before turning away from it altogether.  Leila had sought his arms for comfort and he buried his face in her soft hair.  Steeler watched, frozen in horror as Destro's blood stood out against the stark white of his skin.  The tanker could feel the Baroness behind him as she rested her head on his back, not wanting to see anything more.  Rock-n-Roll felt the bile rise as the executioner went a step further and began removing the victim's entrails with the hook used to expose them in the first place.

Imani watched her family's murderer finally be given peace from his torture when an axe was raised then lowered quickly.  She didn't flinch when Destro's head fell to the ground with a sickening thud.  Dusty had turned from the sight long before, unable to watch it anymore.  He reached over to his side for Imani as she gladly accepted the invitation of his embrace.  Dusty was the only one who heard her prayers to her family as she muttered them for the last time against his chest.  Dusty felt tears of his own, knowing that Imani was finally free of the pain of her family's death.  Their killer receiving a far more lingering and terrible fate.  

"Mother of God." A voice choked from the back of the room.  Everyone turned towards its source to see Deep Six standing there, pale from what he too had just witnessed.  "That's why it's so quiet in DC." He added as he moved closer to his former teammates.  The diver had made his way to the bunker by hitching rides from his native Baltimore.  He had seen the more daring arrival of Dusty and Imani earlier as he hiked the final leg of his journey.

After having seen Destro's bloody fate and reuniting under more solemn circumstances, the Joes along with the Baroness, Leila, and Imani retired to the library.

Steeler held the Baroness close as she explained that their mission had just gotten harder.  "Destro would have been easy to overtake." She began.  "But Cobra Commander…The world has not seen his like since Adolph Hitler, and Hitler was nowhere near as paranoid as that madman." She added.

"Was that *sharmute* easily manipulated then?" Imani spoke for the first time.

"Destro, yes.  He trusted me." The Baroness answered, not sure which man Imani had spoken of.  "The Commander however trusts no one.  He is delusional at best, stark raving mad at worst." She finished.

"Does this mean you're in danger?" Steeler asked.  "I mean you got them going at each other in the first place, and haven't been seen since." He continued, worried for her safety.

"I was always in danger around him." She answered frankly.  "And as for my not being around lately, it will probably be excused.  The pair of them know I avoid petty infighting, which it will be viewed as by many in COBRA's upper command." She defended.  "And this war has been building since COBRA was in its infancy.  All I did was give it the push it needed." She added.

"Are you going to have to return back to DC?" Grunt asked.

"Most likely yes.  Probably within a few days to avoid further suspicion." She answered

The group discussed the new trials the shift of power presented before the Baroness spoke to Dusty and Imani.  "The Middle East, what is it that keeps COBRA out of control there?"

"For ages the peoples of my homeland have fought to secure lands they can call their own."  Imani said.  "It took COBRA's take over to finally unite all the groups towards a common cause." She said, pride filling her voice as she continued her story.  

All of the old wars and disputes had ceased.  COBRA had removed the despots from power as part of their take over.   Many of the people had gone back to a more nomadic existence, to avoid destruction at the hands of COBRA.  Some of the terror organizations gladly joined COBRA, seeing them as a way to obtain their foolish goals.  But many more banded together to stop COBRA at all costs.  Ironically it was the secret service of a people long abused in the Middle East that coordinated the resistance efforts and trained many of the smaller groups in the ways of war.  Imani spoke proudly of all the good the Mossad had done for the region in keeping it out of COBRA's clutches.  

"Ironic, isn't it? I a Muslim, praising the Jews for all of their work in keeping my homeland relatively free of those tyrants." Imani smiled wistfully.  "The only thing they couldn't save was my family's home." She added.  Imani told the group of how Destro had led the invasion in the southern region of Saudi Arabia that took her family from her.  She was leaving her home early to tend to the meager fields her village kept when she saw Destro lead the charge and destroy everything she ever knew.  

Her village was believed to be a haven for resistance fighters and therefore marked for destruction.  Imani had fled into the desert only to return a few days later and find nothing was left.  A short while later a stranger entered the ruins only to find her crouched behind a crumbling wall, ready to defend herself to the death.  The stranger ended up becoming her friend after he lived up to his promise not to harm her and take care of her.  That had been three years ago.  "Now I fight at his side." She smiled warmly up at Dusty as she leaned on him. It wasn't long after Imani finished telling her story that they decided to retire to their quarters.  The new arrivals were shown to their own rooms and wished a good night.  No one slept peacefully that night, the horrors from earlier still fresh in their minds.

To Be Continued…

Sharmute = Bastard in Arabic.


	9. It's Like Having Been Born Again. pt 9

It's Like Having Been Born Again.  Pt 9

Author chick's notes:  I have only two words for this one: COLD SHOWER!  Well that and some burble.  I had to write me a 'For Mako's eyes only' bit to get me in the right frame of mind here…that and go through a pack of bloody smokes.  =)--~  Yes this is for mature audiences only…or hentai ones, but I won't tell if you don't tell. ;)  

Hentai = Japanese for pervert. ^^  Disclaimers are in Pt 1  this is just filler space and if you're looking for the real action, you can skip this and not miss a thing.  I highly recommend you skip this if you are NOT of age to read such naughtiness.

It's Like Having Been Born Again. Pt 9

They had retired to their shared quarters after the gruesome display earlier.  The Baroness had received word that there was to be a meeting of COBRA's ranking officers and she was to attend.  The meeting was scheduled for two days, time to let Cobra Commander get everything sorted out on his end, at least that was what the message said.  The Baroness had another theory altogether.  

Steeler was in the shower as she was getting dressed and ready for bed.  She lay down on her side of the large bed and curled onto her side.  The pillow next to her held his scent and she buried her face into it, not wanting to move as sweet memories washed over her.  She heard the water turn off in the bathroom and looked over towards the door.  From the reflection in the mirror she could see that he was wearing only a towel around his waist as he set about brushing his teeth.

She raised her head up a little higher to watch him, enthralled with watching him perform such a mundane and simple task like brushing his teeth.  After spitting the last of the suds out of his mouth he rinsed and stood up straight again.  Her pulse jumped as she watched him lean back a little as he stretched the tension out of his long lean torso, fascinated as she saw the tight muscles in his stomach ripple with the effort.  Considerably less tense, he tossed his towel to the side and pulled on a pair of boxer shorts.  The Baroness pretended to be asleep as he turned towards her, turning off the bathroom light as he made his way to bed.

Slipping under the sheets he picked up a report Clutch had written out about basic COBRA mechanics and began reading.  'He's not your Steeler, He's not your Steeler' the Baroness repeated in her mind as she felt the warmth radiate off of him towards her.  In her efforts to calm herself she didn't realize she was frowning.  Steeler looked over from his reading and saw the tense expression on her delicate features.

"You ok?" He asked softly, in case she was indeed asleep.  She cracked an eye open and looked up at him.

"'M fine." She mumbled closing her eyes again to him as he laid there, propped on one elbow looking at her in concern.

"Okay…" He said before returning to his reading.  She was anything but 'fine' however as she became aware of the fact that her senses were working overtime.  She felt him shift a little and looked again.  He'd gone from lying on his side to leaning against the headboard.  He was pulling at his lower lip with his thumb and ring finger as he continued to read.  It was too much for her.  Her Steeler would drive her insane with the same habit whenever he was focusing on something and she remembered all the times she had to either leave the room or do something about it.

Steeler looked down at her again as she shifted closer to him still curled up in a fetal position on her side.  He draped his free arm onto the pillow around the top of her head and began softly rubbing the space between her shoulder blades with a fingertip. She heard him laugh softly as he read the way Clutch described the machinery as 'pieces of shit.'  Knowing he was fully engrossed in what he was doing she made up her mind, the jolts of sensation exploding from where he was gently touching her back, urging her to act.

Carefully she reached forward and felt the band of his boxer shorts, she followed down and forward until she found the opening in the front and reached in.  Steeler sucked in air between clenched teeth as he felt her hand wrap around him.  "Hsst, Jesus Anna." He got out as he put the report to the side and slid down to be more even with her.  She didn't let go as she felt his hand under her chin, gently bringing her face to an angle more suited for kissing.

She tilted her head back a little to give him better access to her elegant throat and wimpered in pleasure as his mouth found its target at the junction of neck and shoulder.  He was about to roll himself completely on top of her when he felt one of her long slender hands push against his chest and force him onto his back.  Surprise turned to pleasure as she took control and began teasing his chest with her lips, occasionally touching the tip of her tongue to his tanned skin as she gently worked her way lower to her ultimate goal.  

Steeler tossed the covers back as she got to the waistband of his boxers and lifted his hips enough for her to remove them.  She felt his fist clench in her hair as she exposed his member and gently traced her tongue along the tip.  Instinct took over as she slowly lowered her mouth over his erection and began tracing the prominent veins with her tongue, occasionally adding the lightest of nips with her teeth as she began in earnest to pleasure him.

Steeler let the delicious torture continue for a little while longer before gathering the strength to move away from her touch and begin returning the favor.  Their tongues danced as they kissed each other feverishly.  She felt his hand begin to lower one of the straps of her nightgown before moving away long enough to remove the offending piece of material.  

She found herself on her back again as he began exploring her body.  She gasped when she felt teeth gently bite at one of her nipples and sank her hands into his hair to hold him there for a little longer.  As he teased one nipple with his teeth, his thumb quickly brought the other to almost painful awareness.  After a few minutes his explorations took him lower, soon she was clenching her teeth to keep from screaming as he teased her naval with his tongue.   It had been so long since she'd last felt his touch that it wasn't taking to much effort from him to quickly send her over the deep end.

Her battle with silence was lost when she felt one of his fingers slide between her legs.  She could hear him chuckle as she screamed in release for the first time in longer then she cared to remember.  Her nervous system was still recovering when he replaced his fingers with his mouth.  'They are the same man…' she marveled, the last coherent thought the Baroness had before she gave herself completely over to desire.  

Steeler smirked up at her when he noticed that she was tossing her head from side to side in sheer bliss.  Rising to his knees he hooked his hands behind both of her knees and pulled her into his lap.  She bit her lower lip as he began to ever so gently enter her.  She tasted the copper tang of blood as he started to slowly thrust into her.  She'd bitten her lip to hard but she didn't care.  All she cared about at that moment, was that her beloved was filling her completely and working every ounce of release out of her.

He fought for control when he felt her clench around him again in orgasm.  He'd never had a lover this willing or this eager before and he knew he wouldn't last nearly as long as he had in the past.  "C'mon…I know ya got one more in there somewhere." He groaned.   She did, his words sending her to oblivion again as he leaned down closer to her and began kissing and nipping at her neck.  She felt him thrust harder suddenly, picking up his pace as he felt his own climax begin to boil within him.  She yelped when he bit down on her neck as he flooded her insides with his release.  

With what little strength he had left he gently lay down on top of her, kissing her chin and neck as he shuddered a few last times before reluctantly pulling out.  They then rolled to their sides, still facing each other, legs entwined as they continued kissing each other, hands roaming wherever they could reach and eliciting  a few remaining moans of pleasure out of the other.

They lay like that for a while, taking pleasure from the other's presence and slowly recovering from their earlier exertions.  Steeler looked down at the Baroness where she was currently nuzzling his collarbone.  He traced her spine with his hand and got a small giggle out of her.

"Hmm?" He mumbled when she looked up at him and began to laugh.

"Just thinking." She replied, her eyes beginning to close as she cuddled up to him.

"Of…?" Curiosity getting the better of him.

"The 'tank incident'" She said before breaking into another fit of giggles.

"Tank incident?" He asked, raising his head a little and looking down at her.

"I had been 'captured' in an effort to make an important meeting for the Resistance." She began to explain.  "I was late of course, because the tank commander had this sudden maddening urge to find out if I was still as 'responsive' as the last time we had met." She continued.

"I'm safe in assuming said tanker was the other me right?" He asked.  She raised her face to him and smiled softly.

"Yes. And as odd as it may seem, having you here now…" She thought for a moment before finishing her statement.  "Having you here, helps me put his memory to rest." She sighed, running a hand down his chest as she said it.

Steeler was quiet for a moment as her words sank in, then raising his gaze to the ceiling he spoke up again.  "Well, that explains how ya knew about the teeth thing." He said fighting desperately to keep a straight face.  He lost his fight when she burst out laughing, knowing full well what he had referred too.

They sobered after a moment and shared in each other's very close company before either one spoke again.  "I don't want you to think that I see you as a convenient replacement for my loss.  There are so many small differences, and I like having to learn you all over again." The Baroness spoke up.  

Steeler propped himself up onto an elbow and looked down at her, brushing her sweat damp hair back from her face gently.  "I know." He smiled down at her.  She caressed his cheek then looked at him questioningly as his smile was replaced by a smirk.  "I don't know about any 'tank incident'…" He began, "But I am damn curious if you really are that responsive all the time." He growled as he rolled on top of her and began assaulting her senses again.  She laughed as she wrapped her legs around his waist.  

Later, the Baroness had Steeler's head resting on her breast as he slept, holding her tightly.  She smiled as she ran her fingers through his hair and lovingly locked away the new memories they had made that evening in her heart.  She knew that when she had the chance, she'd bury the man she'd fallen in love with.  But for now she was content to accept this gift from the fates and start a new life with him, never forgetting her love.

To Be Continued…


	10. It's Like Having Been Born Again. pt 10

It's Like Having Been Born Again.  Pt 10

Author chick's notes: Ah, what can I say but Thank You so very much Mickey!  *Of course I could also start singing but I look like crap in a cheerleader outfit and she's a New Yorker and I'm not…aka I'd be deader then a door nail in two seconds flat ;) * Anyway, I am thanking Mick profusely before hand for the gear head talk. Yep!  Sharky don't jack all about cars but give her a surfboard and stand by for action!  She was also nice enough to proof this before I sent it in, because if there's one peeve I have about fanfics, is people putting stuff in they didn't bother to research!  Homework! Won't kill ya folks. ^^  Oh yeah by the way, Imani demanded a little screen time too.  Disclaimers in Pt 1.

It's Like Having Been Born Again. Pt 10

It was mid afternoon in the Baroness' bunker.  Several of the Joes were in the Library with Imani discussing plans and familiarizing the Arabian woman with how they operated.  Rock-n-Roll had come up with the idea of having someone being able to get around quickly and getting information on troop movements.  Cover Girl grinned at the suggestion and said she had just the thing.

"Why don't I go get old Betsy?" She smiled evilly.

"Is 'Betsy' what I think it is?" Deep Six asked.  At Cover Girl's slow nod he groaned.  "Jesus get diapers for those two while you're at it." He added jerking his thumb at Steeler and Clutch.

Cover Girl ignored the two when they asked her for more details telling them that'll find out soon enough.  She then turned to Dusty, her evil grin still firmly in place.  "Dust? Sweetie?" He gulped at her tone but said nothing as she continued.  "Can I borrow Imani for this?" She asked pointing to his wife who was seated near him.

"Uh why?" He asked, not knowing what Cover Girl had in mind.

"Well seeing as how I have to get into this place, none of you would fit, I barely fit.  Imani is tiny compared to me so she'll be the perfect for the job."  Cover Girl replied. Imani looked up at Dusty then to Cover Girl.

"I don't mind helping." She offered, knowing full well her husband wouldn't suddenly tell her no, and liking the idea of getting to know his former comrade better.

Cover Girl clapped her hands together and began rubbing them.  "Perfect!  We need to make you look a little bit more inconspicuous though." She added.  Imani looked down at her traditional outfit and realized that she would stand out in the desert hued clothing.

Deep Six remembering what she'd done to Grunt suddenly piped up.  "Run kid! Flee!" He teased, gesturing wildly as he said it. Everyone laughed but Cover Girl, who poked her tongue out at the diver and flipped him off.

"Anyway! Do you mind Imani?" She asked knowing that what she had in mind might seem a little uncomfortable for the girl.  

Imani rose and bowed dramatically, smirking as she did so.  "I am yours to do with as you please." She said.  Winking at Dusty on the side.

"Yer screwed desert rat." Steeler piped up from where he was leaning on the couch.

Cover Girl took Imani by the hand and led her away, both women giddy with the idea of playing 'make-over'.  "Yer REALLY screwed Dusty!" Thunder laughed as he watched them leave.  

Dusty shook his head and rose to follow them, if anything to be supportive of Imani as she got her crash course in western culture and fashion.  He rolled his eyes as he heard someone chant a funeral dirge in his wake and left after the two women.  

Imani had no qualms with changing in front of the other woman, much to Cover Girl's relief.  When Imani removed her shawl though, she began wondering if she had made the right decision.  Cover Girl's jaw dropped when Imani's hair, which had been neatly tucked away under the shawl, came tumbling down her shoulders all the way to her narrow waist.  "Oh my god." Cover Girl breathed.

"Is something wrong?" Imani asked, confused by her reaction.

"You have the most beautiful head of hair I have ever seen!" Cover Girl exclaimed, praising the wavy mahogany locks that cascaded down the girl's back.

Imani blushed at the compliment and thanked her for it.   It took a moment for Cover Girl to remember that the petite woman before her was still very young, only twenty years old.  Cover Girl understood what had happened and she knew enough of Imani's culture to know that it was perfectly acceptable for someone her age to be married to a considerably older man.  Though Dusty only had twelve years on her at most.

Imani finished undressing and stood there waiting for Cover Girl to do her thing.  "Okay, let's see what we have to work with here?" Cover Girl gave Imani the once over.  "Well that's out." She said tossing a bra she had chosen to the side.  "You're to small for it and still youthful enough to go without." Cover Girl explained.  Instead she picked up a camisole and handed to Imani to put on.  

Imani squirmed a little as she got used to the unfamiliar undergarments Cover Girl had given her to wear.  The silky fabric was a new experience though and Imani was glad that she would be keeping the items afterwards.  She loved how they felt against her firm skin.  "Okay…" Cover Girl began as she sized Imani up again.  She looked down at several pairs of black jeans she had laid out on the bed before picking up the smallest pair.  "Here try these?" She said handing them to Imani.

Imani looked at the full-length mirror next to her and her eyes flew open in shock.  The jeans were the most figure-revealing article of clothing she had ever worn, and contrary to how she had been brought up, she did like the look and fit of them.  Imani smiled, this was more fun then she'd thought it would be.  Cover Girl heaved a sigh of relief and explained to Imani how she had worried the girl would not like the idea and change her mind about the whole thing.  "Oh no!  I'm enjoying this."  She enthused.  "What's next?" 

Cover Girl grinned.  "Good girl." She smirked as she handed over a matching black sweater.  The sweater was an angora blend and cropped, though on her tiny figure it would come down to the waistband of the jeans.  Imani slid it on over her head and tried to adjust the cowl style collar on it.  Cover Girl arranged it for her and stepped back.  "Okay, your boots will go great with this." She said as Imani sat down on the edge of the bed to put them on.  "Um, would you be uncomfortable without your shawl?" She asked as Imani finished lacing up her boots.

Imani thought about it for a moment before deciding that she could go without it.  She wasn't in her homeland at the moment and she wanted to blend in as best she could for the mission she had agreed to take on with Cover Girl.  "No I don't mind." She smiled up at Cover Girl.  

"Great.  Okay now god willing, we won't be seen by anyone but just in case, we need to make you look like a regular young woman." Cover Girl explained as she began pulling Imani's hair back to weave into a tight braid.  Cover Girl then applied a little make-up to make Imani look like the twenty year old she was, not too much, just enough to accentuate her delicate exotic features.  "Well?  What do you think?" She asked as she stepped back so Imani could see herself in the mirror." 

Imani studied her reflection and stared in awe.  "I do not look like a child anymore." She said, a faint hint of a smile tugging at her lips.

"That's the idea Hon, you're a grown woman, you should look like it.' Cover Girl winked.  "Ready to go knock the socks off that big goof you married?" She asked, jerking a thumb at the door.  Imani smirked and gestured 'after you' as she thought of what Dusty would think when he saw her.

Dusty meanwhile had been strictly forbidden from entering the 'man free' zone, as Cover Girl had called it.  So he made himself some lunch and sat in the living room waiting for the glamour session to be over with.  He heard the bedroom door open and looked up to see Cover Girl grinning almost maniacally as she stepped aside to reveal Imani.  He was glad he was seated as he put his lunch aside to take in the vision that was his wife.  

Imani turned a full circle so he could see the whole picture before looking at him expectedly.  His mouth moved several times but nothing came out.  Instead he held his hand out to her and she went over to him and hopped down next to him on her knees so she was eye level with him, on the couch.  "So?" she asked, folding her hands on his shoulder and resting her chin on them.

"You're the most beautiful thing I've ever seen." He breathed. He ran a hand down her cheek before leaning forward to gently kiss her.  Cover Girl allowed the two a moment before speaking up.

"God I miss when I was her size." She laughed.  "I was four eleven and eighty-five pounds at age fourteen." She added wryly as she remembered her days as a famous model.

Imani looked over at the end table and frowned.  "What is that?" She asked, pointing to his forgotten lunch.

Dusty grinned as he picked the bowl up and began eating again.  "This is one of my all time favorite good old American junk food delicacies!" He praised as he shoved another forkful into his mouth.

"Yeah and knowing him drowned in enough salt and pepper to re-sink the Titanic twice over." Cover Girl teased.

Imani still frowned as she looked at the little round shapes covered in some yellow sauce.  "Well alright, but what is it?" She asked again.

"Mac and Cheese!" Dusty said, handing her a forkful to try for herself.  "And man have I missed it." He sighed enjoying the feast for the first time in over four years.

Cover Girl fought back her laughter as she watched the myriad of faces Imani made as she slowly chewed the bite she just had taken.  Imani forcefully swallowed before turning her gaze back to the bowl and wrinkling her nose.  "I will stick to what I know." She offered Dusty a disgusted look, not at all impressed with her husband's idea of gourmet cuisine.

Dusty wasn't the least bit phased by Imani's lack of enthusiasm towards his meal.  "Goody.  Means it's all mine!" He laughed as he finished inhaling his lunch.  

Imani made another face as she rose from her spot next to him and went back over to Cover Girl  "We leave at dusk right?" She asked.  Cover Girl nodded and said she needed to get changed too and Imani gladly followed her to see what the older woman would wear and how she went about doing it.

Dusty gave the front door a last look before muttering how he was looking forward to helping Imani out of her American style cloths.  "Dirty old man." He chided himself as the fantasies began unfolding in his mind.

Later in the main hanger several of the Joes were gathered around the two women, as they got ready to set off on their adventure.  Sci-Fi raised both eyebrows as he took in Imani's new look and then turned to Dusty.  "You lucky bastard." He teased.  Dusty just snorted a laugh as he watched his wife pack weapons into the HISS they'd be taking to get into Washington.

"At least she didn't go for the glitter, glam, and 'enough hairspray to wipe out a city block', look Court had in 'Frisky." Sci-Fi teased, remembering the daring ensemble Cover Girl had put together for herself when she helped play bartender at the club.

Tripwire laughed at the joke and winked to Cover Girl.  The wink suggesting to her that he'd take care of his sarcastic paramour later.  Cover Girl mouthed 'I want video' to him, which had him roaring in laughter.  Sci-Fi turned to look at the two.  "What?" Knowing they were sharing a private joke.

"You'll see later." Tripwire said as he took his glasses off so he could wipe tears from his eyes.  Sci-Fi just pouted, knowing he was in for it when the couple was alone later.

Dusty had told Imani all about his former comrades when they had first met, so she just looked between the two and shrugged.  "All ready." She said as she loaded the last of their gear into the tank.

"Okay then boys, we'll see you in a bit." Cover Girl chimed in, rapping her knuckles on a near by table just in case.  Imani and Dusty shared a quick hug before the tiny woman climbed into the HISS and hid herself from view.  "Behave!" Cover Girl chided Clutch as she climbed in after Imani and did the same.

Tripwire hopped down from the top of the HISS where he had been placing a tracking device and moved over to join the rest of his teammates, who were wishing the two good luck.  The HISS started up and soon they were gone.  

The idea was that the HISS would pose as a patrol ordered to enforce the local curfew.  At a location Cover Girl had specified, it would stop long enough for her and Imani to get out and go after their objective.  Soon the two made their way to a boarded up building along a dark alley.  "How do we get in?" Imani asked ignoring the large door she knew could only be opened from the inside.  Cover Girl had briefed Imani on her secret little hide-away so she knew basically what she was doing.

"Around the back." Cover Girl whispered and Imani followed as the two snuck around the building towards the backside of it.  There was a scattering of scrap metal and other junk in the lot and Cover Girl pulled out a small remote.  Imani watched as a small door, hidden in the wall appeared.  They would have to climb up onto one of the discarded car bodies lying nearby to access the opening.  Imani hopped up first, carrying a rope with her as she wriggled into the access hole easily.  Once safely inside she turned and began pulling up the two backpacks attached to the rope.  

Cover Girl stood nearby on lookout panning her rifle around as she scanned for anyone who might see their activity.  She heard the low whistle that imitated some night dwelling creature from Imani and turned to make her way into the building.  Imani kept lookout as Cover Girl got in beside her and crawled forward a bit.  With both of them safely inside, Cover Girl hit the switch on her remote that would close the hole back up again.  "C'mon, this way." She said to Imani as she began crawling through a short passage in the ductwork.  Cover Girl cautiously peered out the opening to the duct and scanned the massive room before her.  No sign of life, so Cover Girl hit another switch that provided enough ambient light for the two to see their way around in the dark makeshift garage.

Cover Girl grinned as she hopped down to the floor and turned to get the two backpacks Imani lowered to her.  Imani then jumped effortlessly to the floor and landed with the grace and elegance of a cat.  Imani looked around as Cover Girl went over to an object shrouded in the corner. "Hi baby, mommy missed you yes she did." Cover Girl cooed as she pulled the worn cover off of her pride and joy.

Imani rolled her eyes at the display of affection for the piece of machinery before asking if this was their goal.

"Yep.  Don't look like much, but Betsy's got it where it counts." She said as she ran a hand lovingly along the ebony black hood of the car.   "1970 Chevelle, customized by yours truly." Cover Girl went on to explain.  "Can smoke anything those snakes have that's for sure.  I can get this baby to do an eight second quarter mile and she clocks in at over one fifty!" She bragged as she loaded their bags into the car.

Imani just shook her head as she climbed into the passenger seat and buckled herself in.  She pulled her legs up so her chin could rest on her knees as Cover Girl turned the ignition over.  The car purred to life and Cover Girl leaned back into her seat.  "God! The best vibrator a girl could ever want!" She moaned as she stepped on the gas a few times to warm up the engine.  Imani had no idea what Cover Girl was talking about, so she just shrugged her shoulders and sat back.

"Ready Sweetie?" Cover Girl asked as she hit another switch on her little remote.  Imani nodded and watched as the massive door to the front of the building groaned to life and began creeping open.  "Hold onto your seat then!" Cover Girl said, gunning the engine and racing out of garage.  Imani whooped loudly as Cover Girl slapped down on the gearshift and pumped the gas pedal.  

It was fairly late and the streets were empty as Cover Girl drove towards the bunker.  Imani was grinning as Cover Girl occasionally revved the engine and pushed the car to its limits.  "Uh oh, company." Cover Girl said as something in the rear view mirror caught her eye.  

Before Imani could ask what, they heard Ripper's voice blaring over a police car siren.  "Pull over immediately and get out of the car!" He shouted into the PA system.  

Cover Girl just snorted and gunned the engine instead.  "C'mon boys!  How's a little game of 'Bumper Humping' grab ya?" She asked as she sped forward into the night.

"What the bloody hell is that thing?" Torch asked from the shotgun seat.

"Dunno.  It's to bleeding dark to make out." Ripper replied as he sped up to try and catch the black shadow that was beginning to pull away from them.  

"Hold on!" Cover Girl blurted to Imani as she took a corner way to fast to pass as 'safe'.  Imani grabbed the edge of her seat as the G-forces pulled at her.  The tires screamed as Cover Girl rounded the corner and gunned the engine again.  "Fun huh?"  Cover Girl glanced over at Imani.  Imani just laughed and grinned as Cover Girl continued toying with the Dredknocks that were chasing them.

"Bloody Hell!" Ripper exclaimed as he nearly missed the side of a building taking the sharp turn.  "Right that's it!" He growled as he sped up to gain on the two women.

Cover Girl glanced in the rear view again and smirked as she slowed down long enough for the two on her tail to close the gap a little.  Imani looked at her in worry then craned her neck around to see out the back window. She could see the red and blue lights as they gained on them and turned back to Cover Girl.  "They'll catch us!" She said, nervousness creeping into her voice.

Cover Girl just smiled and reassured the girl.  "Not in this life time." She purred, slapping the car into fourth, letting out the clutch as she slammed her foot down on the gas pedal.  "This has been fun boys but I'm bored!" She chirped at the reflection of the police vehicle behind her.  "And you guys suck!" She bragged as she redlined the engine and left the Dredknocks far in her wake.  Imani laughed as she craned her head around again to watch as the police car fell far back behind them, before loosing sight of it altogether.

Back in the main hanger Clutch looked up as the hanger doors began to open and a black streak screamed into the hanger.  Cover Girl slammed on the brakes and slid the car into a perfect park as she turned the engine off.  The two women got out of the car, both of them laughing at the game they'd played with the Dredknocks.  "Thelma and Louise? Eat yer heart out!" Cover Girl laughed as Imani got out and ran over to Dusty.  

Still high on the adrenaline rush she'd gotten from her ride, Imani leaped up into his arms and kissed him deeply.  She wriggled out of his hug and went behind him, leaping up onto his back instead and hugged him tightly from her perch as he held her there, piggyback style.  "Had fun I take it?" He laughed at his tiny bride.  She grinned and shook her head yes as she looked back to where Cover Girl was with the car.

"We'd have been here sooner, but we ran into some cops." Cover Girl explained, maniacal grin firmly in place.  Clutch and Steeler both approached the car and began inspecting it.

"Where the hell did ya swipe a 1970 Chevelle from?" Steeler asked admiring the black Chevelle with the silver 'Outlaw Cowl' hood.

"I shit you not!" Cover Girl began, holding her hands up at him as he admired the car.  "I found the basic Chevelle, just abandoned and decided that I'd give it the love it deserves!" She went on to explain how she had found the car and had restored it to the condition it was in now.  "…I jacked the back and added Mickey Slicks and then had a ball playing with the engine." She went on to explain.

Clutch narrowed his eyes at the car that had cooled down a little while Cover Girl explained how she had come across it.  Steeler gave the car just as much scrutiny before speaking up again.  "Okay gorgeous, it looks great and all but pop the hood…that's where it counts." He said rapping his knuckles on the roof and she gladly did so.  "Steel body…" He praised when he heard the distinct sound emitting from the car where he had knocked on it.  "Very nice."   

"The GMZ502 was a bitch to nab but I found one on a raid once and swiped it." Cover Girl stated as the two men began inspecting the heart of the car.

"Is that a Demon?" Clutch asked as he inspected the carburetor. 

"Twelve ninety Cee Ef Em." She grinned.

"Jesus.  I've only ever seen one of these in this condition at Manney's." Clutch said as he admired the car and it's working parts.  "I remember when it pulled in, I thought I was gonna cream my shorts." He added recalling the memory from his first job as a teenager working on muscle cars in his beloved New Jersey home.

"I'd have added nitrous but that's such a bitch to come by these days I decided to just do the basics." Cover Girl said.

"Basics my ass!" Steeler said as he leaned in for a better look.  

Deep Six was entering just then and saw the two fawning over the car.  "I though I told you to get diapers for those two." He said to Cover Girl as he smirked at the two tank jockeys.

Steeler flipped the diver off before looking at Cover Girl again.  "Okay…how much do I have to twist yer arm to take this baby for a spin?" He asked grinning wildly.

"Ha!" She snorted.  "How's it feel to want?" She replied sarcastically.  "No one drives my baby but me!" She said kissing her fingertips and then touching them to the roof of the car.  "Okay back up back up, you're going to ruin the engine by drooling all over it." She said as she shooed the men away and lowered the hood again.

"Very nice." Steeler said.  "And they say chicks can't appreciate fine cars." He added with a smirk.

Clutch grinned and jerked a thumb towards Cover Girl.  "She ain't like most chicks." He teased. "Ow!" He exclaimed after she slapped his shoulder for the crack.

"Screw you bud."

"I plan too later." Clutch said as he took a final look at the sleek black car parked in the hanger.  She laughed as she linked her arm through his and headed towards their quarters.

To Be Continued… 


	11. It's Like Having Been Born Again. pt 11

It's Like Being Born Again.  Pt 11

Author chick's notes:  Now if memory serves…I believe I mentioned that the Baroness was informed of a meeting she had to attend with the rest of COBRA's ranking officials…before 'steeling' herself for some good old fashioned mind blowing fun. (Pun completely intended)  And I don't give a shite what reality this is in…those two belong together!  Oh wait…I'm getting ahead of myself aren't I? Mwahahahaha.  Disclaimers in Pt 1.

It's Like Having Born Again. Pt 11

Zartan escorted her to the main meeting chamber in the White House, where Cobra Commander had set up his own personal throne room.  The Baroness joined the meeting, standing near Dr. Mindbender and waited for the commander to start.  She made a mental note of the fact that Cobra Commander's cloak looked wrong as it hung over his left-shoulder.  

"So very nice of you to join us Baroness." Cobra Commander hissed from the throne.  "I do hope that Destro's loss has not affected your loyalty to me." He added.  She could have sworn that he was grinning like the madman he was under his faceplate as she spoke up.

"That fool got as he deserved." She spat. Wishing instead that it had been the man seated before her who had received the grizzly fate.

"Good, good." He hissed again.  "I wouldn't want to have to order such atrocities against you, my dear." She winced mentally at the thought of receiving the same fate as Destro, or worse, but showed no outward sign of it.

"Now I called you all here to inform you of a few…policy changes if you will?" The commander began.  "As of now you will all report your camps activities to me, I will not tolerate any more betrayal!" He screamed, the architecture of the room echoing the sound all over. 

The Baroness raised an eyebrow at the statement, as did a few others.  "Yes, I know.  Several of you already keep me well informed and I appreciate that." He began when he saw the looks on hers and the twin's faces.  "However, from now on, I will have couriers assigned to each of you.  The courier's job will be to go over the reports, then personally deliver them to me…Daily!"  He finished.

Cobra Commander continued telling the assembly of his other changes, saying he would also provide discs with the information in case anyone should 'forget' the new rules.  "These discs I expect will be shown to your ranking officers and personal.  I want no more secrecy." He bellowed.  "Now go.  You are dismissed.  You'll find that your couriers will be waiting for you at each of your headquarters.  If I hear that they have not been met by the end of the day, I will suspect the worst and have you hanged!" He threatened as the group disbanded.

Deep in thought of this new twist, the Baroness didn't notice Mindbender until he gently grabbed her arm.  "What do you want?" She hissed, angry with herself for being taken by surprise.

"I wish only to have a few words with you." Mindbender began.  "That madman will destroy us all with his paranoia." Mindbender said.  

The Baroness weighed his words carefully before speaking.  "You heard what he said.  Do you honestly expect me to be as stupid as that fool Destro?" She said.

"No, no of course not.  But these new changes…they'll impede my research." He began complaining about how he would be hindered from conducting his mad experiments.  She paid just enough attention so as to not appear uninterested.  Her decision was rewarded handsomely when she heard him ask if she noticed anything peculiar about Cobra Commander at the meeting.  "You noticed his left side yes?" He asked, almost purring in glee.

"His cloak was covering it, but yes it did seem odd.  Why?" She asked, wondering what Mindbender was about to tell her.

"His arm.  He lost it to gangrene." Mindbender grinned.  At her shocked look he explained.  "Destro it would seem had gotten off a lucky shot.  The Commander in his fit of megalomania, neglected to have the wound properly treated and it became hideously infected."

The Baroness winced at his enthusiastic tone as he explained how he had the 'privilege' of removing the lost limb himself.  "You no doubt have it in a jar in that macabre collection of yours?" She asked, knowing Mindbender's morbid habit of keeping body parts of victims he'd either experimented on or had been executed.

"Yes.  Right next to that traitor's heart." He smiled, referring to Destro.  According to rumor, Mindbender also kept the hearts of execution victims as a trophy of sorts.  'The key to their betrayal' he had once called them.  She shuddered before excusing herself so she could meet with her 'courier'.  Mindbender bid her well and left for his laboratory.  

In the car, she began pondering how to deal with this new person who no doubt would be loyal to Cobra Commander.  She had several Joes at her private bunker and she was spending a lot of her own time there as well. Arriving at her private mansion within the city, she made her way to her office, knowing that the courier was waiting for her there.  She walked in to find two people instead.  The woman she didn't know but the man she knew all to well.  'Interesting', she thought to herself before speaking to the pair.

"You are?" She asked of the woman who was not at all what she had expected.  She had her long hair pulled back into a braid that reached the middle of her back.  It had been dyed a brilliant shade of pink and her clothing was very non-COBRA issue, torn jeans, boots, and a black leather jacket over a white halter-top. 

"Name's Zarana." She answered, inspecting her nails as she did so.  "This is my partner Blaine." She said looking up to the Baroness and jerking a thumb at the man behind her.  Blaine winked at the Baroness and smiled.

Seeing the gesture she kept her composure as she grilled Zarana for more information.  "I suspect you are the courier I was assigned?" 

Zarana nodded her head.  "Yeah.  Old Snake-puss would never do his own footwork so he got me brother to do it for him." She said.

"Your brother?" 

"Yeah, Zartan, the head of his military police." Zarana answered.  "I've got another brother too, Zander, me twin." She offered.

"I had no idea that Zartan had any siblings." The Baroness commented aloud.

Zarana smiled.  It was genuine much to the Baroness' surprise.  "Now I doubt you work out of here?" Zarana began, waving a hand around the plush office.  She noticed the Baroness narrow her eyes and decided to get to the point.  "Look Lady?  I know what you really do.  And I know you know Blaine as well." She said.  At the Baroness' shocked look, the man spoke up.

"Relax I already checked the place for bugs.  Found one and it's been taken care off." He grinned.

The Baroness considered the two as she began thinking the fates had spared her again.  "What are your goals then, Zarana is it?" She asked.

Zarana's sudden change in expression caught her off guard.  Gone was the flippant attitude, only to be replaced by deadly seriousness.  "I want that maniac deader then you do, Lady.  You don't want to know what he did to me." She said, tears forming in the corner of her eyes as she spoke.  Blaine rested a comforting hand on her shoulder as the memories of her brutal nights at the emperor's hand came flooding back.  "I was assigned by Zartan to keep an eye out on the southwest.  He knew what had happened and figured it was the only way he could safely get me away from that shithead.  That's how I met Blaine." Zarana explained.  "I knew he was a Joe and I saw in him a way to get my revenge.  I want this nightmare over with already." 

The Baroness' expression softened as she stepped forward and placed a comforting hand on the woman's shoulder.  "If what you say is true, then I welcome your help."  Zarana sniffled and thanked her for her trust.  "And I'm glad to see you again Mainframe." She smiled at the Joe behind Zarana.

"No sweat, the feeling's mutual." He smiled.  "Thunder dropped me a note and said what was going on.  It was a no brainer then, for Z to convince Zartan to get her assigned to you…not to mention a good excuse for the pair of us to show up on this side of the coast." He winked.  "And before you ask, Zartan has no idea his little sister is not working alone."  He added.  "How else do you think the Resistance has been so successful out west?" He added pointing to Zarana.

The Baroness smiled, saying she was grateful for any assistance the two would be able to provide for her.  "Come.  As you pointed out earlier, I do not work out of here.  I have a private bunker nearby." She said as she led them towards the waiting car outside.  Mainframe left separately in case anyone was watching and quickly caught up with the car containing the two women.  

When the Baroness asked how she was supposed to deliver her daily reports, Zarana told her a computer communiqué would suffice for the Commander.  "I won't have to go anywhere near him at that rate.  And it'll be to bloody easy to get him thinking that everything's right as rain with you.  I'll keep him off your back." She promised.  

"Excellent." The Baroness smiled.  "Come, we have much to do." She said as their car followed by Mainframe's pulled into the hanger of her bunker.

To Be Continued…


	12. It's Like Having Been Born Again. pt 12

It's Like Being Born Again.  Pt 12

Author chick's notes:  Just picking up where I left off last time.  Also, and this is for future reference…No I didn't screw up his dialog, Torpedo being a local Hawai'i boy speaks Pidgin, which is a mix of English, Hawai'ian, and several other dialects commonly found in the islands.  And uh heh…there be mush here. ^^  I am going to use the blonde version of Diana for this from the comics.  It's the only comic reference I have in this…I think.  The brunette from the cartoon struck me as to much of a complete bimbo to be taken to seriously…but then it's been a long time since I've seen any of the eps with the Guard in it, so who knows?  Disclaimers in Pt 1.

Also, seeing as Frostbite has one hell of a tan in the show and he's from Alaska, (not to mention he thrives in and specializes in cold weather survival, not a whole lot of sunlight there, or opportunities to work on the old suntan) I'm going to assume he's at least part Inuit…my fic my choice.  ;)  Rated R or mildly CS for the bathroom scene.  I plead guilty as hell!  This thing is running away with me!

It's Like Having Born Again. Pt 12

Immediately after arriving with her two new charges, the Baroness called an emergency meeting.  While she had been away in the capitol, a few more Joes had arrived, as well as Diana of the October Guard.  She had gotten through to Frostbite who disguised as one of the local indigenous peoples helped smuggle her out of northern Siberia.  The two made short work of then getting to their current location to join with the rest of them.  Torpedo had also shown up while the Baroness was gone.  He stood at the back of the meeting room, his back against the wall and his arms folded across his broad chest.  She nodded a greeting in his direction grateful that the SEAL been able to join her and their growing efforts to regroup.

"Well it would seem that after he defeated Destro, the good commander has gone even further into madness." The Baroness was about to continue when Diana, Frostbite and Torpedo all looked at her in surprise.  Because of the extra precautions they had all taken to get there, none of them were up to date on the current situation with COBRA.

"What happened wit' Destro?" Torpedo asked, pushing himself from the wall and moving to stand behind Deep Six.  The Baroness sighed then told the three of how she got them into a war with each other.  She then told them of how Destro had been defeated and executed for his treason.  "So, in other words den, he's dead?" Torpedo asked to confirm what she had just said.

"That is correct." She replied.

"Den my Aina* is avenged?" He said to no one really.  His hand involuntarily reached for the polished stone hanging from his neck.  He'd had the stone since he was a child, a piece of lava rock he obtained, honoring the ancient traditions of his people.  It was the last link he had to his birthplace and he cradled it lovingly in his hand as the Baroness' words sank in.

"Your island got more then avenged pal." Deep Six started.  "Ace wasn't even tortured as bad as that bastard got it."

The Baroness winced internally at Torpedo's 'good' before continuing her meeting.  "He has instigated some new changes within COBRA, which explains Zarana's presence here." She said gesturing to the woman seated across from her.  "Zarana's job as far as Cobra Commander knows it, is to keep him informed of what goes on around here, daily.  However…" The Baroness smiled.  "It would seem the fates are being quite generous of late.  Zarana will instead keep that fool thinking that I am but a willing little servant to COBRA, while we in truth move to unseat him and end this travesty."

As she spoke she could see both Steeler and Torpedo taking quick headcounts of the number of Joes and weighing their given abilities.  She knew that both of them were already thinking of what they had at their disposal and how to use those resources to their advantage.  Her smile became predatory as she realized that the two would indeed whip up a deadly cohesive fighting force from those gathered in the room.  She wasn't the only one who noticed.

"You thinking what I'm thinking, Hawai'i?" Steeler grinned at the SEAL.

"You get em hoale*." Torpedo grinned back to his fellow officer.  "After dis, we talk." He added.  Steeler gave him the thumbs up and returned his attention back to the Baroness' presentation.

The Baroness held up the disc Cobra Commander had given her containing all of the new changes he had ordered.  Mainframe played with it for a moment and then got the data to show up on a screen behind him.  "As you see, he's made every effort to be as controlling as possible." She said pointing out.  "Not only with the courier business, but it would appear I also have to attend regular meetings at his palace."  She had Mainframe scroll down a bit then pointed out another detail that she wasn't to keen on.  "Also it looks like I will have to regularly trade off the troops I have here, with those other COBRA officials have.  In order to maintain loyalty to COBRA only, not just to the official they serve."  She explained.

She closed her eyes to concentrate when she saw Steeler fiddling with his lower lip again.  The habit drove her mad and she needed to think.  After a moment she spoke up again.  "I will move my operations back to the city, and leave you the bunker." She said to the gathering.  "The first trade off isn't for another fortnight, so that will give us the time we need." She added as she read the schedule that came with the order.

Tripwire stared down at the table, picking out patterns in the grain of the wood before speaking up.  "Sea and I have been wondering?" He started.  "Do you know of any secret hideaway's Destro might have, besides the ones that Cobra Commander already seized?" He asked her.

"No I'm afraid not.  The Commander is as equally aware of them as I was, including all of his data from his weapons research.  The information I have would be useless, seeing as Cobra Commander already knows of it all." She responded, knowing what Tripwire was getting at and wishing she could have better news then she did.

Tripwire went back to thinking when Sci-Fi spoke up.  "Relax Babe.  We have full access to the lab here. And…" He grinned jerking a thumb at Mainframe. "We got us a hacker." Tripwire smiled at Mainframe and elbowed his lover.  

"Do you still have copies of his data?" Tripwire asked the Baroness.  She said she did and would hand it over to them if they could think of ways to use the information that she had missed.  "Perfect." He grinned. 

"If that is all then?" She said as she ended the discussion.  "I am assuming you two have things you wish to discuss?" She asked Steeler and Torpedo.  Both men nodded and she dismissed the meeting, leaving the two men alone to begin their own planning session.

With the exception of Diana and Frostbite who were both exhausted from their travels, the others went about doing research and whatever it was they had been doing before the meeting had started.  Deep Six had offered to let Torpedo room with him and Steeler said he'd show the SEAL the way after they finished up in the meeting room.  Leila led Diana and Frostbite to the personal quarters and showed them both to a suite.  They had said they'd share and thanked Leila before settling in.

Frostbite was shaving, after having showered when Diana entered the bathroom, wearing only a towel.  During their time as resistance fighters the two had grown quite close.  She came up behind him and leaned against his back hugging him as he went about with what he was doing.  Frostbite stopped and smirked at her reflection in the mirror.  "Jenshina*, I've got a straight razor in my hand and you're really running the risk there of me slitting my own throat." He admonished as she used her fingers to comb the faint line of hair on his lower stomach that disappeared beneath the towel he wore.

Diana let go of him long enough to pull the bench from the vanity over to where he was.  Taking the razor from him she made him sit down, offering that she'd finish the job for him.  Frostbite laughed as she pushed him down to the bench.  Inspecting the razor for a moment, then the Inuit man's face, she rinsed the blade in the sink and straddled his lap.  "Don't move." She ordered, smiling as she felt his hands begin to caress her hips.  She finished shaving the stubble from his face and throat, leaving a neat moustache and goatee.  

She got up to clean the blade off in the sink and put it away when Frostbite stepped up behind her.  Closing her eyes she leaned against him and allowed him access to her long elegant neck.  She moaned in pleasure when she felt her towel fall away and his hands cup her breasts, his thumbs teasing her nipples to awareness as he kissed and nibbled at the junction of her throat and collarbone.  Diana could feel his arousal pushing against her and she reached between them to remove his towel, freeing his hardening length.  As tired as the two were from their constant traveling in the past week, they still found the energy to reconnect with each other.  They would fall into bed a little later, fully sated and would sleep solid for the first time in a long while.

Meanwhile back in the meeting room, Steeler and Torpedo were comparing notes. "'K den…we get thirteen Joes." Torpedo started. 

"Sixteen if you count Imani, Diana, and Zarana." Steeler interrupted.  "We know what Diana can do, and Dusty can vouch for Imani.  Mainframe can vouch for that Zarana chick too." He added.

"True."  Torpedo scribbled down something on his notes and continued.  "Well we pretty much get a full motor pool wit you, Clutch, Thunder and Cover Girl.  Deep Six and me, though the only ting I can think of water wise for us would be da Potomac." He paused to smirk before continuing.  "Although da L in SEAL stands for 'land'…and we'll add Frostbite to the foot soldier list so that way we get…" Torpedo paused to count the names he had on his list.  "So dat's eleven, no wait ten dere." He finished.

The door opened and another voice popped up.  "You've got eleven foot soldiers there SEAL.  Sorry I'm late, dudes." Footloose spoke as he entered to let them know he had arrived.

"Jesus Christ!  If it ain't the reincarnation of the dead Haight Ashbury hippie who had one hit of LSD to many!" Steeler laughed as he rose to greet the newcomer.  

Torpedo puzzled over what Steeler had said for a moment before bursting into laughter and greeting Footloose.  "Howzit cuz."   The three greeted each other warmly before Footloose excused himself to settle in and leave the commanding officers to continue planning what they had.

"Ten bucks says he finds Rock-n-Roll and Thunder and things get real loud around here."  Steeler laughed as Footloose closed the door behind him.

"Good ting this place is under da ground den huh?" Torpedo said shaking his head.  "Wassup?" He asked when he saw Steeler's face darken a little.

"You heard the story of how we got here?" Steeler asked.  Torpedo nodded and Steeler went on to add that his Footloose was one of the ones who had seen this world firsthand.

"He'd call it karma den." Torpedo offered with a shrug, Steeler just snorted a laugh.

"Okay.  I've been fighting as part of a unified team.  Yins have been at this guerilla warfare stuff and know it a hell of a lot better then I do." Steeler said.  "So in that case, I'll gladly hand over command of this outfit to you…you were a WO-4 right?" He added.

"Made Captain jus before all hell broke loose but yeah, you get a point." Torpedo offered.  "'Sides, dis kinda ting is what I wen get trained for in BUD's." Torpedo stated, referring to the grueling training program that all SEALs had to undergo before becoming a part of one of the most deadly fighting forces in the US military's arsenal.

"Well then.  I concede my second Lt to yer Captain." Steeler laughed.  "We start first thing tomorrow?" He asked referring to retraining the group as a cohesive fighting force.

"You got it." Torpedo said as he began thinking of what he had in mind for a possible training program.  "Hope you no mind getting wet cuz." He added then said he'd incorporate some of what he'd gotten in BUD's as part of the training.

"Yer gonna enjoy this aren't ya?" Steeler said.

Torpedo's smirk became deadly as he repeated the SEAL mantra.  "Attention to detail. It pays to be a winner." He spoke in clear English then broke out again in his preferred Pidgin.  "Cut da crap cuz!  You army!" he laughed when Steeler gave him a salute and an 'aye aye Captain'.  

To Be Continued…

Now for all them funny word you saw in this…^^

*Aina = Hawai'ian for homeland, it's how many in the islands refer to their beloved home…me included and I've been away for a while now. ;)

*Hoale = Hawai'ian term for foreigner, used commonly today to refer to Caucasians, occasionally in a derogatory manner but generally as a descriptive term.  

*Jenshina = Russian for woman. Yes I know Diana is listed as Czech on the file-cards but I'm using the Russian term as a sort of endearment towards her for Frostbite.


	13. It's Like Having Been Born Again. pt 13

It's Like Being Born Again.  Pt 13

Author chick's notes:  Atten-HUT!  Training day! ^^  Disclaimers in Pt 1.

It's Like Having Born Again. Pt 13

The Baroness woke with a start at the alarm clock blaring next to her.  She felt Steeler move behind her and reach over to shut the clock off.  "What's…?" She asked not fully awake yet.

"Go back to sleep Anna." Steeler murmured, kissing her temple as he rose to get ready.  "Torpedo and I just thought a little training session would help pass the day is all." He explained as he pulled on pants, a t-shirt and his combat boots.  The Baroness shook her head a little to clear it before laying it back onto the pillow.  Steeler chuckled in the dim light at her muttered curses about American military and their obsession with rising at ungodly hours in the morning.

Meanwhile, down the hall a similar situation was unfolding.  Deep Six was flat on his stomach in a dead sleep when he heard Torpedo's voice a mere two inches from his ear.  "Up and at 'em sailor!" He bellowed. Deep Six rewarded the rude awakening with a few mumbled curses about SEALs not being human.  "Don't make me get da bucket of ice water cuz." Torpedo threatened as he pulled a black t-shirt over his head.  

"Yeah yeah I'm up." Deep Six groaned as he rose out of bed and went to get dressed.  He glanced at the clock and back to Torpedo.  "It's four friggin thirty in the morning!"

"Yup and you better be in da hanger by oh five hundred unless you want my boot up your ass." Torpedo said as he left to meet Steeler and begin rousing the rest of the troops.

Out in the hall the two in charge of this morning's exercises met.  "K den, you get dat side, and I get dis one." Torpedo said, pointing to each side of the hall as they both set off to wake their troops.

Dusty was partially draped over Imani as they slept.  The lights began flashing on and off in their room suddenly and Imani, who was on her stomach rose her head up to find out what was happening.  "Sorry for break up the little love nest folks, but training begins in da hanger in half an hour!" Torpedo chirped when he saw that they were both waking up.  He heard Imani grumble and saw her flop back down to go back to sleep.  "MOVE IT!" He bellowed as he turned to rouse the next group.  

Dusty laughed and pulled the covers off his reluctant wife as she fought him to let her go back to sleep.  "C'mon love.  Y'all heard the man." He said as he got out of bed and began dressing.  Seeing that she wasn't budging, he picked her up effortlessly and carried her into the shower.  She yelped as the cold water hit her and glared death in all it's forms at Dusty.  "Nice to see you're awake, now lets go." He said as he tossed a towel at her and went to grab a light snack.  

Imani came out a few minutes later, her long hair still damp and braided she was fully dressed and glaring at Dusty.  "You'll pay for that." She threatened as she made her way for the front door.

Footloose, Thunder, and Rock-n-Roll were all scattered around the master bedroom of the suite they shared, snoring in the predawn hours when Torpedo turned on the lights.  "K Ladies!  Time for get up and do your duty!" He shouted as the three startled and began waking up.

"What's up dude?" Rock-n-Roll asked from the bed, scratching at his chin and shaking the last of the sleep from his head. 

Footloose glanced at his watch then up at Torpedo.  "Dude its like four thirty in the morning."

"Yup.  And you better be in da hanger by five unless you want me on your ass." Torpedo said as he kicked the blanket off of Footloose.  "Move it Kentucky!" He shouted at Thunder who was taking a little longer to wake up.

The three glanced at each other and then the door that Torpedo had left through.  "I'm assuming he and Steeler are in the mood for a little training." Rock-n-Roll said as he got out of bed and began dressing.

Thunder wasn't as impressed and had no problem letting his roommates know it.  "Hmph.  Fuckin' officers." He swore as he began pulling his long hair back into a ponytail.

Torpedo smirked in the dark as he stalked his next victims.  "Hands off da cocks.  An' on wit da socks!" He bellowed from the doorway to Tripwire and Sci-Fi's shared bedroom.  Sci-Fi was just beginning to open his eyes when the lights came to life.  Tripwire mumbled against his chest before reaching up for his glasses and looking over at Torpedo.  

"Training?" Tripwire asked, still groggy with sleep.

"Yep! Hanger by oh five hundred, or else!" Torpedo grinned at the two as they began rising.

"We gonna get to shoot shit?" Sci-Fi asked as he ran a hand through his long hair.

"Move it." Torpedo hissed, a wicked gleam in his eye as he turned to leave. 

"Kewl!" Sci-Fi chirped.  Tripwire groaned and joined Sci-Fi as the two got dressed and ready to go.

Across the hall, Steeler was having as much fun as Torpedo as he went about waking everyone.  "Okay Princess, Grease Slick! Ya can screw later, get yer asses to the hanger by oh five hundred and be ready to bust yer humps!" He yelled as he turned on the bedroom light in Cover Girl and Clutch's room.

"Jesus Steeler." Clutch swore as he began fumbling around looking for the edge of the covers.  Steeler had already left when the two got out of bed and took a quick shower to remove the evidence of the previous nights activities from each other.

"I am so gonna strangle him." Cover Girl promised as she wove her auburn hair into a neat braid.

Next door, Steeler found Leila already awake, dressed and in the kitchen.  "Where's blue boy?" He asked as she wondered what he was doing up so early.

"In bed." She stammered, pointing towards the bedroom.  It dawned on her what he was doing and she followed Steeler as he went to kick Grunt out of bed.

Steeler found Grunt flat on his stomach, an arm hanging off the side of the bed when he turned on the lights.  Leila hid a giggle behind her hand as Steeler yanked the sheet from his body and began yelling.  "Get yer lazy ass out of bed this minute and be ready to get yer butt back into shape!"  Grunt startled and looked up at Steeler.  "Hanger! Training! Oh Five Hundred!" He added as he swatted at Grunt's back.

"What crawled up his ass?" Grunt asked in bewilderment as he got up and got dressed.

"I would assume he means business." Leila laughed as she went back out to the kitchen.  She heard him mutter about the unholy-ness of the situation and began laughing again.

Steeler glanced at his watch and made a few mental calculations.  "Let's see?  Those two have had a good nine hours…" He said as he entered the room Diana and Frostbite were sharing.  He could see that there was light coming from the bedroom and he cautiously peeked in.  Diana's back was to him and she was resting her head on Frostbite's chest as they slept, the sheet barely covering their nude bodies.  They had left a light on from the previous night.  

"Well well?  Nice to see international relations are going swell." He said, rousing the two from their slumber. Diana pulled part of the sheet up to cover herself a little more before looking over at Steeler in the doorway.  "I want the pair of ya in the hanger in half an hour, time to get off our lazy asses and start doing something around here!" Steeler said, pleased to see Diana grin evilly.  He then turned and left them to get ready in privacy. 

Diana slapped Frostbite's stomach to wake him up and tell him to get ready for some training.  "Time to see if you Americans are all you claim to be." She taunted as she took off for a quick shower.  

"Oh ha ha." Frostbite retorted as he got into the shower with her.  They were soon dressed and on their way to the hanger.

Steeler was surprised to see Mainframe and Zarana, already awake and dressed as they sat at the kitchen table to have a light breakfast.  "Well it's good to know at least some of ya aren't slacking off." He said.

"Yeah we were getting ready for a run, when we heard the other one across the hall." Zarana explained as she sipped at her coffee.

"Hanger, oh five hundred right?" Mainframe asked.

"Yep." Steeler said grinning as he left for the hanger to meet with the others.

Torpedo glanced at his watch, five minutes until five and everyone was present and accounted for.  "Nice of you to all join us so early in da morning." He began, taking great amusement from the various glares he and Steeler both got from some of them present.  "We've got enough of a force here now to start wit training." He said.

"Now some of ya ain't military and we understand that." Steeler began.  "However, we're gonna start acting like a unit as of this instant.  I know yins have been doing things the only way ya can and that's great, but if we're gonna hand the commander's ass back to him, we need to do it as a team!" He said.

"So," Torpedo spoke up. "We're gonna start wit da basics."  The two led the rest of the group in a rigorous hour of calisthenics before breaking off to the next item on the agenda.  There was a shooting range located several floors below them and they gathered there for some target practice.  Steeler was impressed that none of them had lost their edge and was equally impressed with the shooting skills of those he didn't really know yet.

Dusty wasn't kidding when he said Imani was a deadly shot.  As a target, shaped like a Crimson guardsmen popped up, she blew the target's head off.   She ignored the 'not bad' she heard from Torpedo before firing off another round at a new target that had sprung up.  The next one that came up was in camouflage similar to what Dusty wore and she grinned as she blew a hole into the figure's crotch before firing again and blowing the figure's head off.  "That's for the shower." She smirked at Dusty who winced when he saw what she'd done.

Torpedo laughed as did Steeler, both of them finally understanding why Imani's hair was soaking wet earlier.  "Yer a dead man, pal." Steeler piped up.

"Yeah no kidding." Dusty sighed as he took out a target of his own.  Occasionally glancing at Imani who would smirk right back at him.

A sudden barrage of fire caught Steeler and Torpedo's attention as they looked over to where Sci-Fi was.  Tripwire's shoulders where shaking as he suppressed a round of laughter before he too hit his target square between the eyes.  Sci-Fi was grinning and waiting for the next one to pop up when Steeler looked at the target he'd just wasted.

"I'm a weenie?" He read on the chest of the target that looked like Cobra Commander.  The words still smoked a little as the shots cooled.

"Now dat's talent."  Torpedo laughed as he saw what Sci-Fi had done.

"Why do you think I asked ya if we would get to shoot shit?" Sci-Fi asked as he took a single shot this time to waste another target.  "It's been a while since I've pulled that stunt." He explained.

They spent a little more time at the firing range, before breaking for breakfast.  The rest of the day was spent in ironing out any kinks they had and forming a cohesive, deadly unit, if a small one at that.  It was around four in the afternoon when Torpedo decided to call it quits.  Steeler agreed with him, seeing as the two had worked just as hard as everyone else.  The last order Torpedo gave before dismissing everyone was to meet again in the hanger the following morning at the same time.  

Imani leaned back into Dusty, a decidedly less then enthused look on her face, before he picked her up and heaved her over his shoulder.  "Now about that anti-man thing y'all got going, all of a sudden…" He said as he carried her away to their quarters.  

Cover Girl laughed when she heard the tiny desert warrior groan against Dusty's back.  "Gotta admit, she doesn't say much but when she does…" Cover Girl laughed as she and Clutch also left for their room.

To Be Continued…


	14. It's Like Having Been Born Again. pt 14

It's Like Having Been Born Again.  Pt 14

Author chick's notes: Well seeing as training is well underway and what have you…how about some other stuff too?  Namely the bringing in of some other troops, and a little research into what Destro had going…kinda sorta.  Disclaimers in Pt 1.

It's Like Having Been Born Again. Pt 14

A week had passed since they had begun training in earnest.  Each of them had something to contribute in one fashion or another.  Steeler had the rest of his make shift motor pool getting familiarized with COBRA equipment, in the efforts to find their weaknesses.  Torpedo and Diana began working on field maneuvers with Imani, all three of them mastering a different environment and coordinating that knowledge into a master training program.  Gung Ho and Stalker had also joined them by that time and easily fit themselves into the daily routine of life at the bunker.  

The marine had been hell for any COBRA agents down in the swamps of Louisiana and was only to glad to move up a little closer to the heart of their operations.  His extensive clan back home didn't need him too much to help keep their home free of the invading army, so he didn't feel to bad about leaving them alone.

Stalker meanwhile had returned to his roots.  Upon the disbanding of the Joe team he had made it back to his native Detroit and it didn't take him long to work his way back through the ranks of the seedy underground that had been the heart of his youth.  The only exception this time was that instead of terrorizing the citizens of the city and wreaking havoc on them, he had gotten the local gangs to focus all their efforts on COBRA.

Mainframe had joined Sci-Fi and Tripwire in the lab as the three began working in earnest with procuring and manufacturing weapons.  "My ass hurts!" Sci-Fi complained as he gingerly took a seat at the worktable.  Mainframe chuckled.

"Excuse me?  Who bottoms usually?" Tripwire spoke up from where he was hunched over a microscope.

"Not that!  All this exercise.  Jesus I knew it's been a while but damn I didn't think I was that out of shape." Sci-Fi explained.  "I mean yeah, you're hung like a bull and everything…"

"Thank you!" Mainframe piped up from the computer consol.  "That falls into the 'more then I really want to know' category folks!" He laughed.

"Sorry dude." Sci-Fi mumbled before glaring at Tripwire.

Tripwire rolled his eyes and shook his head.  He went back to examining the piece of circuitry board they'd salvaged from what was believed to be Destro's ill-fated sonic device when he noticed something.  "Sea?  Come here and check this out." He said as he zeroed in on what he had found.  Sci-Fi began cursing under his breath as he got up, a look from his lover shut him up and he made his way over.

"Yeah Babe?" He said as he looked into the eyepiece.  "What have you…oh hello!"  He said when he spotted the flaw that Tripwire had found.  

"It's on some of the other pieces too." Tripwire explained as he gestured to other fragments laying on the table nearby.  "Kinda interesting huh?"

"Kinda?" Sci-Fi laughed.  "Babe this explains what happened when this sucker was fired out on the Grounds."  Mainframe stepped over and asked to take a look, he too quickly spotted what the other two were interested in and laughed.

"There's no way it would have worked…at least not with the amount of juice he had pumping through it." Mainframe said to them.

"There's no way it would have worked right, period.  It's to finely tuned to a certain frequency." Tripwire explained.

"Yeah it would resonate itself into destruction every time." Sci-Fi added, explaining the multitude of minute cracks they could see under the microscope.

Mainframe remembered something he'd found in Destro's data that the Baroness had handed over to them.  "Oh wait!  I found his notes on the test firing itself." He said as he ran back over to the computer to punch up what he had seen earlier.  Sci-Fi and Tripwire leaned over his shoulder as he pulled up a large file marked 'test 014653'.  

Tripwire scanned the information before asking what a certain link contained.  Mainframe pulled up the link and both he and Tripwire cringed at the picture that came up. Sci-Fi didn't flinch back as he examined the photo.  The figure was human in form, wearing a COBRA uniform.  There were several large ruptures along the upper torso and the head had melted, for a better lack of a word.

"So that's why it was never put to actual use." Sci-Fi murmured as he read the data underneath the gruesome picture.  "The resonance frequency of the device was figured to be to close to that of a human being."  Tripwire and Mainframe both looked at him oddly as he mumbled some more while reading further.  "I wonder…" He said as he stepped over to his laptop he had set up and began calculating a few scenarios.  "Hmm? If only we could get our hands on who ever this dude was.  Or possibly another victim of this thing?" He said as his calculations all came back with the same result.

"Uh Sci-Fi? There are others we think got it from this thing." Mainframe pointed out.  

"Those three." Tripwire added, pointing towards the hanger where Steeler and Clutch were.

"Oh yeah. Hmm.  I wonder if the preacher's boy is on-line?" He said as he got on-line to the Internet and scanned for screen name he knew.  "Bingo!" He cheered as he typed in a command to open a secured link.

Greenstreak Yo babe!

Operati0n_MindCr1me Whose brain did you get me?

Sci-Fi howled in laughter at their chosen password confirmation before typing in his response.  Mainframe who was reading over his shoulder also got the giggles as he recognized the film that was quoted.  It was one of his all time favorites.

Greenstreak Abby, someone… Abby Normal?

Operati0n_MindCr1me lol What can I do you for Sea?

Greenstreak Your taste in albums rocks btw. Anyhoo, I found something I want you to have a look see at.

Sci-Fi pulled the information Mainframe had saved and sent it to his contact.

Operati0n_MindCr1me K…got it!  Hang on checking now.

Greenstreak Hang on to what? ^^

Operati0n_MindCr1me …

Sci-Fi laughed as he waited for a response.

Operati0n_MinCr1me Wow.  Is this from that sonic gizmo thingy?

Greenstreak Yup.

Operati0n_MindCr1me Do you think this is what happened to SGC?

Greenstreak Possibly…and man is there a story there you WON'T believe about that one!

Operati0n_MindCr1me Oh?

Sci-Fi asked where his contact was presently located.  He was shocked to find that the person was very nearby and offered for the contact to join him and the others.

Greenstreak No shit? Dude I can get you here in like two seconds flat!

Operati0n_MindCr1me I'm by myself at the moment.  I can let Shades know I'm meeting you though?

Greenstreak Kewl digs.  Send the stuff to him too, he might find it interesting.

Sci-Fi and his contact continued talking for a little longer before shutting down the link.  He then turned to the other two in the lab and smiled evilly.  "I am going to see if Ms. Thing will go make a pick up for me." He winked as he left the lab and headed for the hanger.

Cover Girl was leaning over the engine of a HISS when he walked in. "Hey gorgeous?  Wanna go joy riding?" Sci-Fi asked as he got over to her.

She stood up and wiped her brow before answering.  "Depends?  Do I get to watch whatever pornos you want me to pick up?" She asked, grinning at him.

"Alas, no porn.  But…he is cute." Sci-Fi winked.  He then told her of whom he wanted to her to get and where he was located.

"No kidding?  Lifeline?  Sure!" She grinned as she slammed down the access panel of the HISS and bounced over to Betsy.  The other tankers in the hanger heard the Chevelle start up and Cover Girl rev the engine a few times before peeling out of the hanger.

"Where's she off to?" Steeler demanded of Sci-Fi.

"I asked her to go pick someone up for me.  Don't sweat it, they're a former Joe and it will only take a few." He said to the fuming lieutenant.  Steeler glanced at the retreating car and then to Sci-Fi.  Sighing he shook his head and went back to the STUN he'd been tearing apart for the better part of a day.  Sci-Fi followed him.

"Hey, I need a favor." He said as Steeler picked up a socket wrench.

"Yeah?" 

"I know this might seem crass and all, but do you remember where you found your remains?  We need to recover them so I can figure out a theory I've got." Sci-Fi explained.

Steeler stopped what he was doing and looked up at the laser trooper. "To be honest I don't.  I was sick with that bacteria whatsit when we found them.  Grunt and Leila could probably tell you though…why?" Steeler responded after a moment.

Sci-Fi went on to explain what they had uncovered in the lab and said how he needed the remains, so they could be autopsied.  "If my theory's right, then the skeletons should have the evidence to back it up."

"What good would that do ya?" Steeler asked.

Sci-Fi's grin turned predatory as he explained.  "Because…once we prove my theory, we can build a stable version of that sonic gizmo.  Old snake face wouldn't stand a chance against the thing either." 

Steeler's brow furrowed for a moment as Sci-Fi's words sank in.  "The Baroness wasn't kidding when she said you two were the Resistance's Destro was she?" He asked.  Sci-Fi waggled his eyebrows and replied with a crisp 'nope'.  Steeler chuckled and told the man that he'd have better luck with Grunt or Leila in his quest.  Sci-Fi thanked him and set off to find the two as Steeler watched him leave.  "Jesus, they're both nuts." He laughed as he went back to what he was doing.

Later that evening, Grunt led several of the Joes including Lifeline, whom Cover Girl picked up earlier that day, to the grim site where the three withered skeletons were.  With the greatest of care they were carefully sealed into body bags and placed into the transport.  Upon returning to the bunker, they were escorted to the lab and looked over.  

It took just a few minutes for Sci-Fi's theory to be proven correct with the remains.  The malleus, incus, and stapes are all pulverized, and there are hairline fractures all over the bones, of the three skeletons. From the dust that were once the inner ear bones and the condition of the skeletons, it was figured that the three had probably died instantly when exposed to the sonic assault of the weapon.  Sci-Fi took the information into account and began thinking of ways to make the sonic weapon, safe to use yet deadly to whatever it was aimed at.

After the autopsies were complete, they were finally laid to rest in graves near by.  Steeler, Clutch, and Grunt all felt odd at watching their own funerals, as Cover Girl and the Baroness placed the dog tags of the three men in the graves containing their bodies. Imani had asked the Joes if it would be alright if she too placed something in the graves.  They consented and watched as the young woman placed small articles that had belonged to her parents and siblings in with the three who had also been killed by Destro.  After the burial, three large flat stones someone had found, were placed at the heads of each grave as simple yet poignant markers.

To Be Continued…


	15. It's Like Having Been Born Again. pt 15

It's Like Being Born Again.  Pt 15

Author chick's notes:  Bring me their heads! Oop sorry got ahead of myself there.^^  The team is going to raid the Pit for some stuff…hopefully without incident…yeah right =p  

blah denotes stuff said in Arabic.  Disclaimers are in Pt 1.

It's Like Having Born Again. Pt 15

Steeler, Torpedo and Stalker were in the meeting room.  The rest of their force were working either on target practice or in the lab, helping Sci-Fi as he tried to build a working version of a weapon Destro had failed to successfully manufacture.

"K den, let me get dis straight?  You want for raid da Pit and see what we can salvage, right?" Torpedo asked as he went over Steeler's idea in his head.

"Yup.  I figure with the stuff they have here, I'd rather go with what we know.  That and Tripwire wants some stuff there that could be useful for their project." Steeler answered.

"You think you can find anything useful?" Stalker asked from the opposite end of the table.  Steeler went on to explain how he and the other stranded Joes had successfully broken into their headquarters and had salvaged a few of their vehicals as well as some of the computer equipment.  "Yeah but wouldn't COBRA know that you guys broke in once and set up heavier guard there?" The former Ranger asked.

"We'll send the terrible twosome over first to scout around." Steeler suggested, referring to the code name given to Cover Girl and Imani.  The two women had proven to be an invaluable tool as a team and had earned the name with their actions.  "They can tell us what's up and we go from there." He added.

Torpedo laughed as he thought of the looks he knew both women would have when they were asked to do the recon mission.  "Dey gonna love dat cuz, you know it right?" He asked.

Stalker laughed at Steeler's remark about keeping them out of trouble and then suggested that they get the rest of their team together to begin the planning session.  "I'll hit the firing range and you get the lab, ok Torpedo?"

"Right. And you see what you can get da Baroness to lend us for transport all dat stuff back here." Torpedo pointed to Steeler.  The three agreed to meet back in half an hour.

Down in the lab Torpedo found all four men he knew he would find hunched over a computer.  Sci-Fi was plotting out schematics and scenarios with Mainframe's help and Tripwire's input. While Lifeline who they had retrieved the previous day, went over the end results and figured the dangers posed to the human body on a pad of paper. 

 "Aloha! So what? Tink you can get em for work dis time?" Torpedo said as he announced his presence to the group.

"With a few tweaks here and there, it looks like we can. What's up?" Sci-Fi answered.

"Just need to figure out a safe frequency is all." Lifeline added as he went over his own notes.  Torpedo listened as the medic explained that they would need to find a way to make the weapon deadly, yet safe for the user.  "No point in causing the user's body to explode."  He remarked.

Torpedo acknowledged the medic before speaking up.  "We're gonna plan a little raid." Torpedo grinned.  "That's where you two come in." He added pointing to Sci-Fi and Tripwire who had mastered the art of raiding COBRA for supplies, when they would do it in San Francisco to supply the Resistance.

Meanwhile down at the range Stalker got the troops together and explained what was going on.  "We're going to raid the Pit and get supplies.  You and Cover Girl can vouch for the equipment we have here as crap right?" He asked Clutch.

"There's an understatement." Clutch replied.  Thunder spoke up from the back of the group and added his two cents worth that had the lot of them laughing.

"Crap's to nice! 'Worthless pieces of shit' is more like it!" He said in disgust.

"Yeah and their uniforms blow too Dude!" Rock-n-Roll added.

Stalker chuckled before ordering the group up to the meeting room so they could begin planning.

"Okay the Baroness said go for it, and said we can use anything we need." Steeler said as he informed the group of his progress.  

"Perfect." Torpedo grinned.  "K den gang, here's what we have in mind." He started informing the gathering of their plans for the raid, Steeler and Stalker adding in where they could.  "So? Any questions?" Torpedo asked when he finished the briefing.

"Just one.  It's a great idea and all boys, but did you consider the guards they might have stationed there?" Cover Girl asked.

Stalker smirked and leaned forward a bit.  "That's where you two lovely ladies come in." He said pointing to her and Imani.  He explained that the two would take Cover Girl's car out to the Pit and scout around.  They'd then report what they would be facing and move from there.  Both women had predatory grins on their faces as they heard the plans.

Dusty was standing behind Imani and laughed as he looked down at the two women seated next to each other.  "Try not to have to much fun girls." He teased.

Imani tilted her head back so she could look up at Dusty and grinned.  I thought you liked how I took care of the adrenaline rush? She asked in her native tongue, smiling sweetly up at him.

I do.  But you and her together are a bad combination. He winked.  Grateful that they were using the local dialect she'd grown up with instead of the official version of Arabic.

After a few more minutes the two were in the car and on their way.  It took just under an hour for Cover Girl to get to the Pit and they parked in a stand of trees.  Imani took one side of the base and Cover Girl the other.  The others followed at a distance so they could be ready to strike once they knew what they were up against.

"Crimson guard squad and it looks like a handful of Televipers.  Pretty light guys." Cover Girl reported, Imani had reported the same.  

Back in one of the transports the rest of their team got ready.  They were going to break into three teams.  Gung ho would lead the bulk of the rush on the main gate.  Torpedo

And Stalker would lead smaller groups on either side of the base and between them cover the rear of the Pit as well.  Steeler and Lifeline stayed behind so they could begin moving in as soon as the coast was clear.  

The order to charge was about to be called when Torpedo halted them.  A lone Crimson guardsman was near his position and he caught the man in a stranglehold and dragged him into the bushes his team was using for cover.  After knocking the man unconscious, he was stripped of his uniform and bound tightly.  Grunt was about the same size as the Guardsman and slid into the uniform.  He would then be free to walk around and give them an exact count of how many opponents were on site.

After a tense fifteen minutes Grunt returned and told Torpedo exactly how many were on hand and where they were all located, he also informed the SEAL that he'd taken care of communications as well so there would be no call for back up.  Stalker called in with an idea of getting Grunt to go back and mingle in with the rest of the guard on base.  "Just keep to the back of them man and hit em from behind." He said as Grunt made his way back to where the bulk of the guard were.

A few stragglers were near the outer parameter and Diana, Imani, and Sci-Fi all armed with silenced weapons made short work of them.  Then the order to charge was given.  Grunt hung back as the rest of the Crimson guardsmen rushed forward, he shrugged and began firing at will at them, taking out several before ducking for cover so he wouldn't be accidentally shot at.  Stalker's group of himself, Dusty, and Footloose ran into some tight resistance before Torpedo, Rock-n-Roll, and Clutch came to their rescue.

It had only taken a few minutes and the Joes had secured the Pit.  The call was put in and Steeler and Lifeline rolled in with the first of three transports.  Cover Girl then took Betsy back to get the last of the transports and move it in.  Torpedo and Stalker along with the three sharpshooters kept watch for any reinforcements that may arrive for a shift change while the rest of the team loaded up with all the valuable equipment they could find.

Fully loaded and ready, they left after a half hour and quickly as they could, made their way back to the bunker.  They were stopped once by a COBRA patrol and Grunt, still disguised as a Crimson Guardsman, managed to convince the patrol that they were part of an escorted convoy.  The leader of the patrol called in to the Baroness just like Grunt said and she made short work of the man, berating him for holding up her shipment of supplies.  He let them go quickly apologizing for the hold up and hoped that he wouldn't loose his head to the Baroness.

They made it back to the bunker just as a shift change arrived at the Pit and found most of the guards there dead.  Those that weren't fatally wounded were very close to death's door.  The Baroness was just learning this from Cobra Commander as Steeler entered the control room.  Leila gestured to him to remain back until the communiqué was over.  He heard the Baroness swear to find the culprits and hang them personally.  

He also heard her remark about a patrol that had held up a supply run she had ordered for her mansion and said that they could have helped prevent the Pit raid if they hadn't been so foolish as to stop a COBRA convoy.  Cobra Commander in his rage agreed with her, and she gladly supplied the patrol leaders name as she had learned it.  Steeler watched her as she performed marvelously for the discussion, as soon as the link was cut her enraged face turned to one of bemusement.  Steeler bust out laughing and told her she deserved an Oscar for her performance.  

"Thank you, however he is furious and I doubt you'll be able to get in and out of the Pit so easily again." She replied.

"Nah.  We got all we could salvage, it was a snap." He reassured her as he led her to the hanger where the loot from the raid was being unloaded and taken to the various parts of the bunker where it was to be used.  Thunder and Cover Girl had told them where a stash of Joe vehicals was located, a separate one from the ones Grunt and them had found out on the Proving Grounds when they had first arrived to this nightmare.  

It was agreed that the make shift motor pool crew would go out to the location and get the machines back into working order.  The Baroness meanwhile had to move her operations back to her mansion in the capitol within a few days before the first troop switch was made.  Leila would stay behind at the bunker and work as a go between for her mistress and the Joes. Zarana would go with the Baroness so she could continue to feed the emperor false reports and the rest of the Joes would rebuild the team and prepare for a final onslaught against COBRA.

To Be Continued…


	16. It's Like Having Been Born Again. pt 16

It's Like Being Born Again.  Pt 16

Author chick's notes:  Things are getting tense!  Disclaimers are in Pt 1.

It's Like Having Born Again. Pt 16

Three months had passed since the raid on the Pit.  In his outrage, Cobra Commander had ordered the former Joe headquarters destroyed.  In the bunker, the Joes watched as their former home was razed to the ground.  "That son of a bitch is gonna pay." Stalker said as they watched the dust settle.  

The recall efforts had begun in earnest, within a month of the raid the group had swelled from just over a dozen to almost the full Joe team.  Some of them were unreachable, some listed as casualties.  The October Guard had been reformed almost in its entirety as well.  Colonel Brekhov agreed with the Joe senior officers to take joint command of the force and meld his Guard with the rest of the Joes.  The only Guard member they couldn't track down was Horror Show.  He was added to the list of possibles that had been whipped up in case someone did come across the huge Russian later.

Duke was leaning over Breaker's shoulder as he pulled up the final roster.  Both men winced at the list marked 'casualty-KIA'.

Armbruster, Bradley J

  Ace

Kelly, Gabriel A

 Barbeque

Gorky, Mikhail P

 Lt. Gorky (October Guard, Naval)

Abernathy, Clayton M

 Hawk (General)

Metzger, Wendell A

 Leatherneck

Delgado, Hector X

 Shipwreck

Iron-knife Charlie

 Spirit

The names all rang hard as Duke and Breaker read them.  Memories of each man flooded him to the point of tears as Breaker wiped his eyes and scrolled down to clear the list from the screen.  Duke's jaw was clenched as he too felt each name carve itself into his memory.  "They'll be avenged." Duke choked out as he went down the list of active Joes now hiding out at the bunker.

"Hell yeah they will." Breaker vowed.  With the exception of Ace, the rest had died in various skirmishes as resistance fighters.

"If this is our fallen comrades you speak of, then yes…COBRA blood will spill for their loss." Colonel Brekhov vowed to the men as he stepped over to join them.  Duke acknowledged Brekhov as Breaker showed him the most complete duty roster to date.  "If this is our force, I am impressed." The Colonel mumbled as he read the names and each person's qualifications.

"We'll get even if it kills us." Duke said, his face set in stone as he turned a monitor on that showed training exercises going on out in the nearby forest.  Duke and Brekhov watched as their united teams worked as a solid cohesive force.  They had agreed that military protocol would be cut back to allow each soldier his or her Resistance attained skills to shine through.

"Hey Duke?" Dialtone piped up from the communications consol he was working.  "Flash called, says they're ready to test fire the proto type they have." He said as he punched up a feed from a remote firing range.

The shot was somewhere in the Appalachian Mountains.  There was an abandoned building and some of the scraped COBRA vehicals, the Baroness had scrounged up set up.  A lone figure, dressed head to toe in black and silver stood in the center of the screen.  Duke and Brekhov watched as Sci-Fi took aim at the set up with the proto type.  "Is he hesitating?" Brekhov asked, when he saw no movement come from the man.  "Why doesn't…he…shoot?" Brekhov stammered when he saw the air in front of Sci-Fi begin to waver, the building begun to crumble, and the vehicals fall apart at the seams.

Duke got on the line to Flash.  "Is Sci-Fi alright?" He asked, nervous after having seen what had happened to the COBRA's who had test-fired Destro's version of the weapon.  

He let out a sigh of relief when Sci-Fi answered him instead.  "Yeah, I'm fine." The sound of Tripwire thanking the gods was heard over the net as Sci-Fi continued.  "There's a problem though."

Flash could be heard speaking up. "What's that?"

"This thing fried itself completely when I pulled the trigger." 

"Damn!  Musta been something in the wiring then?" Short Fuze cursed over the line.

"Maybe dude, but at …oh wait a minute?" Sci-Fi said as the camera followed him over towards the settling ruins of the set up.  "Hey? Tell Doc I'm gonna bring something in.  I found a friggin squirrel moving around in here."  He said, holding up the dazed animal for the camera to see.

"Fine, but no you can't keep it." Duke laughed over the line.  Brekhov laughed when he heard Sci-Fi retort 'aw can I huh?'.  "Alright, get back here and see what you can do about the weapon." Duke added as he recalled the group back.

Later in the lab, Short Fuze was hunched over the microscope swearing as he examined pieces of the dismantled sonic gun.  "I figured this thing to nth degree and STILL nadda…shit!"  Short Fuze looked up from the microscope and over to Tripwire who was examining the body of the gun.  "It's good for one shot only.  No matter what we do to make this thing stable.  Any weaker and it's useless." He added in frustration.

"The frame can only tolerate one shot I think." Tripwire said as he removed his glasses to pinch the bridge of his nose.  "There's hairline fractures all over this thing."  He said.  "How did it go?" He asked as Sci-Fi walked into the lab holding the squirrel he'd found at the test site.

"I'm fine Babe, not a single thing wrong with me."  Sci-Fi answered.

"To bad, and here I was thinking it might have re-scrambled the brains back into gear." Short Fuze teased.

"I won't even honor that comment with a snide remark dude." Sci-Fi said, giving Short Fuze the finger while he was at it.  "I'm cool, but Diz here has one hell of a case of vertigo." Sci-Fi added referring to the squirrel laying limp in his gloved hand.  "That thing completely scrambled his brains.  Doc figures it'll do the same to anyone within range of the thing"

"Diz?" Tripwire asked, pointing to the squirrel.

"Hell yeah, he can't stand straight for more then a few seconds, and watching him walk is a scream." Sci-Fi explained, scratching the creature's head.

"You named it Diz?" Tripwire confirmed.

"Babe I'm keeping the little guy…provided he doesn't drop dead or anything." Sci-Fi said.  Tripwire rolled his eyes and went back to examining the gun frame.  Occasionally he'd mutter under his breath about not needing children, seeing as he already had one he slept with.

Short Fuze meanwhile explained what they had discovered while Sci-Fi was getting the once over from Doc.  "Well, we have one shot then." Sci-Fi said looking at the remaining proto-type sitting on the workbench.

"Yeah but how are we gonna take as many snakes as possible with one shot?" Short Fuze asked.  Leila entered then with the answer.

"The Baroness just informed me of the Emperor's plans for World COBRA day." She said, referring to the anniversary of the take over.  "The Emperor himself will hold a formal gathering of his troops at the palace, followed by the usual fare." She added.  

Tripwire, Flash, and Sci-Fi all looked at Short Fuze as a grin bloomed on his face.  They watched, as he would look at the map of the capitol, then turn his gaze to the remaining prototype, then back to the map.  Occasionally his gaze would shift to Sci-Fi as he plotted in his head, the angles needed and the range of the weapon.  "Well?" Flash asked after a few minutes.

"If we can get Sci-Fi to the top of the Capitol building, he'll have a clean shot as they come marching down Pennsylvania Ave."  Short Fuze said, as he made sure his calculations were right.  "Yep, if they do what they usually do and parade the troops down the road, you'll have a clean shot and probably take out the bulk of their army in the process." Short Fuze surmised.

Sci-Fi was also calculating the trajectory in his head and figuring in the range he would have.  "Now, that'll work if he does indeed plan on marching the troops, like he usually does."  He turned to Leila.  Before even being asked, she grinned and nodded that yes the annual celebration would go off as it had the last four times since COBRA had taken over.  "Kewl.  Bang goes the cavalry." Sci-Fi grinned.  

"How long do we have before that happens then?" Duke asked as he walked in, he'd heard most of their discussion and was already formulating plans together.

"A week from this Friday." Leila answered.  "Or ten days if you wish to be more precise." She smiled.

"Right then.  We've got work to do." Duke said as he turned back out to leave.

Later that afternoon, Leila was in the Baroness' office at her mansion in the capitol.  She had just finished informing her mistress of the Joes plans and how it would all come about on the day of the celebration.  "Perfect.  I have the timetables and everything they need to execute this." The Baroness grinned as she handed over a disc to Leila.  Leila sat opposite her with her head in her hand.  "Are you alright?" She asked in concern for her faithful servant.

"Just tired." Leila answered as she raised her head up to accept the disc.

"Rest then.  We have some time and you have been working yourself ragged keeping everyone informed."  She dismissed Leila.

Leila curtsied as she left the office and went back to the bunker.  Grunt found her later that night fast asleep in bed.  He tucked the covers that she had kicked off, back around her after he too slipped into bed.  He'd heard from the Baroness that she had been ordered to rest and he didn't disturb her when he woke the next morning to begin another grueling round of training.  

He returned later that morning to find her just waking up as he showered off the latest 'session in the dirt' as he had begun calling the drills.  She was in the kitchen fixing herself something to eat when he got out of the bathroom.  Stepping over to his dresser, he reached under some clothing and fingered the velvet box hidden there.  Remembering what he promised himself he pulled out a clean set of cloths and closed the drawer.  He'd vowed to present the ring to her, after he had survived the attack on COBRA the following week.

To Be Continued…


	17. It's Like Having Been Born Again. pt 17

It's Like Being Born Again.  Pt 17

Author chick's notes: Here it is, the final showdown.  This is a long one too. blah Denotes spoken Arabic, (blah) denotes spoken Russian.  I highly recommend having the tissues handy while you read this (I made myself bawl at this one).   Disclaimers are in Pt 1.

It's Like Having Born Again. Pt 17

In two days they would attack.  Imani was out in the forest when she slipped in some mud and went down a small embankment.  She was about to get up when she heard a low growl.  Freezing, she felt the hair on the back of her neck rise as a large beast, sniffed at her.  Please Allah let me live.  She said in her mind as her eyes closed and she waited for the worst.

"Imani?" She heard her husband's voice call out.  "Iman…Timber?  Leave her alone boy." He gently chided.  Imani felt the beast move away from her as it whined.  She opened an eye and saw a huge grey wolf as it made it's way over towards her husband.  He seemed to know the creature and greeted it warmly.  He'll do nicely too, thank you Allah. She noted as she raised her gaze to the sky for a moment.

"Are you okay?" A soft feminine voice asked as Imani slowly got up.  

"That would depend." Imani said to the redheaded woman, as she kept a wary eye on Timber.  "Am I considered supper?" She asked.  The woman laughed and said that Imani was safely off the menu.  "Then I am okay." She said as another figure moved in from the shadows of the trees.

"I'm Scarlet, this is Snake Eyes." The woman greeted.  "You are?" 

Still watching Timber carefully, Imani answered her.  "Imani Tadur." She saw Scarlet's eyes open in surprise and jerked her thumb towards Dusty who was currently on his back getting a very well loved licking from Timber.  "Soon to be his widow if that thing is sizing him up for a snack." Imani added.

Scarlet looked over at the scene and laughed.  "Timber! Stop it." She chided as the grey wolf continued his enthusiastic greeting of the Joe.  Timber looked up at her then back down at Dusty, one more lick and he came over to stand between Scarlet and Imani.

"He's harmless to those he knows, Love." Dusty laughed as he got up and joined the group.  Imani raised an eyebrow yet said nothing as he greeted the two newcomers.  Imani watched as her husband and his former comrades reunited.  "Glad you two could make it here." He smiled warmly.  He went about introducing Imani and telling the two of how they had met.    Imani smiled and answered any questions Scarlet asked of her, all the while keeping an eye on Timber.  

Snake Eyes saw her reaction and moved forward, he nuzzled the wolf and held out his hand for Imani.  She granted his request hesitantly and soon found her fingers buried in the course fur around Timber's neck.  Satisfied that she wouldn't end up in his belly after all, Imani finally relaxed around the great beast.  He rewarded her trust with a huge swatch of tongue across her cheek.  "I thought you said I was off the menu." Imani said to Scarlet as she wiped the wolf slobber off her cheek and scratched at his ear.  

"He won't eat you, but he will occasionally lick you silly." Scarlet laughed.  Snake Eyes' shoulders shuddered as he silently laughed.  Soon they left for the bunker to let the others know that Scarlet and Snake Eyes had arrived.  Imani knew of the two so she said nothing as she watched them reunite with their teammates and were brought up to date on the current situation.

Later that evening there was a secret meeting in the war room of the bunker.  The Baroness went over the detailed plans she'd obtained from Cobra Commander about the proceedings of the celebration to be held in a few days.  "It's settled then." Short Fuze spoke up.  "We need to figure out how to get Sci-Fi to the pineal of the Capitol building so he can take the main parade out…here." He said as he pointed to the detailed map on the wall.

"Leave that to me." The Baroness said as she continued.  

It was decided that Sci-Fi, disguised as a COBRA soldier would have free access to the building with a pass the Baroness would draw up for him.  He'd make his way out and up to his position after dark, when the parade was to commence and his initial shot would be the order to charge to the others, who would be stationed throughout the area.

World COBRA Day.  The words left a sickening taste in Steeler's mouth as he rose from bed and went to get dressed.  The Baroness heard him and came into the bedroom to find him getting ready for the day ahead.  She smiled as she joined him and the two ended up arriving a little late to the breakfast meeting in the main hall of the bunker.

In another suite, Imani perched cross-legged on the bathroom counter and carefully made another pass down her husband's cheek.  If I'm going to molest you when this is done I don't want your face tickling Me. She teased, before touching her tongue to her lip and sliding the razor down for another pass.  Dusty fought the urge to laugh as he took the end of his wife's braid in his hand and tugged playfully at it.  Finally he could laugh when Imani reached over to rinse the blade in the sink.  What? She asked as she held up the blade again to continue shaving him.

You're something else. He chided before forcing himself to keep a straight face again.  She snorted at him and finished up with her chore.  

And you are now very handsome. She cooed after he picked her up to love her in their bed.

Like Imani, Cover Girl decided that if her beloved was going to go into battle he'd at least look somewhat civilized.  Clutch rolled his eyes as she carefully trimmed up his beard and moustache with a pair of small scissors.  "Oh stop it, Lance." She said when she saw his eyes roll for what must have been the tenth time.  "You look like some wild man from the woods." She added as she brushed off the last of the clippings from his chest.

"Somehow I doubt COBRA is gonna give a damn what I look like when they're taking pot shots at me." He argued as he rinsed himself off.

"Well they might not care, but I have plans after this is all over and I would like it if you weren't some 'Grizzly Adam's' knockoff when I ravage you to the point of exhaustion." She teased as she stepped over to take a shower.  Clutch laughed at her as she shampooed her hair.  She came out and got a uniform tossed at her.  "Smart ass." She muttered as she got dressed.

"You wouldn't have it any other way." He retorted as he took her in his arms and held her close.  He sobered as he looked down and saw her dog tags with his last name on them. "Take care of yourself ok?" He whispered into her hair.

"You too you big galoot." She mumbled against his chest.

In another room, Sci-Fi was feeding sunflower seeds to his newly acquired pet.  "You're gonna have one hell of a tricked out cage in Frisco Diz." He explained as he watched the squirrel dive into his breakfast.  

Tripwire came out of the bathroom toweling his hair off and saw the two on the bed.  "How would he like to meet Timber?" He teased as got his cloths out to get dressed.

"Babe! That is cold!" Sci-Fi said, holding the animal close to his chest.  "Just ignore him, he's jealous because I'm giving you more attention then I give him." He added as he nuzzled his nose on the squirrel's head.  

Tripwire groaned and rolled his eyes as he sat down next to Sci-Fi to put his boots on.  Diz saw him and jumped over to his shoulder and began sniffing around his ear.  "Get him Diz! Cute him to death!" Sci-Fi cheered as Tripwire laughed and tried to get Diz away from his very ticklish ear.  "Crank up the cute till it hurts Diz!" Sci-Fi added.

"I am eternally grateful he's deaf thanks to you." Tripwire said as he finally got a hold of Diz and handed him back to Sci-Fi.  

"That's why we gotta keep him.  He'd be owl food in two seconds flat if we let him go." Sci-Fi said as Diz went back to his sunflower seeds.  Doc had played a tape of an owl call and Diz hadn't reacted at all to it.  They'd tested several other predatory sounds as well and still no response.  Doc had concluded that being in the direct line of fire at the test range had deafened Diz.  

It was then and there that Sci-Fi declared that he was going to keep the little creature as a pet.  Diz's equilibrium at least had returned to somewhat normal after a few days and he didn't seem to mind the attention of the big human who fed him and held him often.  Tripwire took a little convincing though, but he too soon found the little creature charming and agreed to let it come home to San Francisco with them when the war was over.  Under the condition though that Diz stayed away from his houseplants, or else he'd find himself dumped in a local park.  

Tripwire slipped his glasses on and looked over at the man seated next to him, they had already prepared themselves the night before in the event one of them wouldn't be coming back.  Sci-Fi rose with Diz in his hand and placed him back in his cage.  "Leila said she'd look after you while we're gone little dude." He murmured softly as he scratched Diz's ear once more.

In the room dubbed 'The Triad', Rock-n-Roll, Footloose and Thunder made their final preparations.  Thunder was scribbling something on a piece of paper, which he then folded and placed on the dresser.  "If something happens?  Would y'all make sure she gets that?" He asked, slipping his wedding band off and placing it on the note.  Footloose and Rock-n-Roll both said they would then told the tanker that nothing would happen.

"Knock on wood." Footloose said as he rapped his knuckles on the table.

Thunder smiled and took out a small picture he had.  The other two watched as he traced a finger down it and place it in his pocket.  They knew who was in the picture, Thunder's wife Jane and their two small children.  Rock-n-Roll hoped he didn't have to be the one to tell them that their father was killed trying to liberate them.  He shook his head to get rid of the dark thoughts before leaving with his friends for breakfast.

Leila was already gone when Grunt woke up.  He took a quick shower and got dressed.  He bit his lip for a moment before going back to the dresser and finding the small box he had hidden in there.  Taking the ring out, he slipped it into his breast pocket, it was then he noticed that it rested just above his heart as he left for breakfast.  He promised himself he'd ask her later for her hand, when he came out of the impending battle alive. 

Sundown.  Sci-Fi had managed to get access to the upper levels of the Capitol building with no problem.  It was getting dark as he pulled off the COBRA uniform to reveal his own black and silver one.  Hoisting the sonic gun over his shoulder and then his rifle, he got to a window and began climbing out onto the roof.  Cautiously he made his way to the base of the pineal and tied a safety line to it.  Giving the line a tug, he then leaned forward and took his aim.  The parade had started as he made his way to his position and soon the main bulk of the armored COBRA divisions in the city would be in his cross hairs.

Glancing to his left he saw them as they began making the turn down Pennsylvania Avenue and into his sights.  The lead of the parade was in his scope as he thumbed the safety off and took aim.  Like he did out on the test fire range, he didn't move. The gentle breeze went through him it seemed instead of buffeting against the obstacle his body presented.  Suddenly, the whole parade was in the view of the scope.  Without so much as a hint of movement, Sci-Fi eased the trigger back and the parade came to an abrupt halt.  "Got 'em" Was all he said as he smashed the disabled sonic gun against the roof.  He thumbed a switch on the belt the safety line was attached too and rappelled down the side of the building to the ground far below.

Duke heard Sci-Fi over the communication net and gave the order to charge.  All over the promenade, waves of Joe and October Guard troops swarmed in to attack.  From his throne on a make shift balcony built at the end of the street, Cobra Commander saw the parade erupt into flames as the waves from the sonic gun caused the vehicals to disintegrate.  "Who dares to attack me on this day!" He screamed as the COBRA elite around him scrambled for battle.  The Baroness used the chaos to slip away and she made her way over to the oncoming rush of Joes.

"He'll try and escape through the Oval Office."  She barked as she removed the ceremonial uniform she had been wearing to reveal a solid black version of her own.  She heard the distinct rumble of a diesel engine as she spied a Mauler pull out of a stand of bushes.  She clambered onto the roof and slid down the access port and took her place at the gunner's seat of the tank as Steeler drove it forward and into the fray.

"Glad ya could join us." He teased as he drove towards the White House and the oncoming wave of COBRA soldiers.  She reached back and swatted at him as she took aim and fired.

In an office far from the carnage, Leila sat with her head resting on her folded hands.  Her tears fell to dampen a piece of paper Doc had given her earlier that day as she heard the reports coming in from the Joes raging battle in the city.  "Please let him live." She prayed into the darkened office.  "I need him so much now." She added as she wished for Grunt's safe return to her.

Torpedo and Deep Six spied Dr. Mindbender and Scrap Iron flee into the building.  The two charged after them, separating as they began a deadly game of cat and mouse with the mad doctor and his henchman.  Colonel Brekhov and Diana charged forward, guns blazing as they systematically took out trooper after trooper, a booming voice however stopped the two cold and they looked up to see Horror Show removing a hood that hid his features, at the top of the grand stairs, his gun aimed at his former comrades.   

(Move and I fire!) He barked at the two in Russian.  

(Horror Show? What are you doing?) Brekhov stammered at the bear of a man.  Diana was behind the colonel and without being noticed she slipped a 9mm handgun out of it's holster and got ready to take her shot.

(Dear Colonel, COBRA made me an offer I couldn't refuse.) He grinned as he leveled the barrel of his rifle at the two. 

(You betrayed Mother Russia in other words.) Diana hissed as she jumped from behind Brekhov and took her shot.  She missed and only hit him in the shoulder, she was aiming for his heart.  He bellowed as the pain ripped through him and he took aim at the blonde woman at the same time she took aim for her second shot.

(How could you?) Brekhov whispered as the decoy plot worked and he fired once.  Horror Show never answered him as the bullet ripped through his skull, leaving only a small entrance hole but blowing most of the opposite side of his head out as the bullet exited.

Out on the main avenue, Cover Girl had abandoned her Wolverine after it had taken a paralyzing blow to the driving system.  She was racing forward in a duck and cover mode when she was grabbed and a hand clamped over her mouth.  In the dark bushes she turned her gaze to see Ripcord holding a finger over his lips in a gesture of silence.  She nodded that she had gotten the message and he removed his hand.  "You were running right into a trap." He whispered as took his gun in hand again.

"Thanks Red, I owe ya big time." She whispered back.  "So what are we looking at?" She asked.

"There's a small group of Crimson Guard snipers lurking in the shadows…oh no." Cover Girl looked over to where his gaze had fallen and saw Imani, Dusty and Lowlight moving towards them.  They both heaved a sigh of relief when Imani spotted the trap and motioned to the two men to halt.  Low Light scanned the area from their hide out in a similar row of plants and saw Cover Girl and Ripcord.  He motioned to the two that he spotted them and they waved back.

Ripcord held his hand up and signaled that he figured there were five, possibly six snipers above them in the shadows of the main entrance.  Low Light nodded and Ripcord watched as he told the other two he was with, what they were up against.  Cover Girl who was keeping an eye on Ripcord's back saw Clutch as he slinked along the wall and motioned for him to join them.  Clutch crept over and was soon hunched down with her and the paratrooper.

"What's up?" He asked as he moved forward.  Cover Girl yanked on his shirt at the same time she told him to keep low and quiet.

"I already buried you once buddy, I'm not doing it again." She hissed as she filled him on their current situation.  Ripcord was edging his way to corner of the wall and he fired off a few rounds to get the sniper's attentions.  He dove back for cover as fragments of building flew away where the sniper bullets hit it.  Low Light saw this and he took his first shots.  Imani was hunched down on the ground and did the same.

Two guardsmen fell down the stairs, blood seeping from their fatal wounds.  Low Light motioned to them again, notifying them that there were three gunmen left.  He'd seen the flashing as their weapons had fired at Ripcord and now had a good idea where they hiding.  Another round of gunfire broke out when Cover Girl and Imani, both laying flat on the ground hit them at once from opposite sides of the stairwell.  Dusty, Ripcord, and Clutch added to the fury as Low Light took aim and picked off the snipers as he spotted them.  One by one the men fell and the Joes began to move forward.  

Lowlight saw the glint of another hidden gunman and fired once.  Tomax fell down the stairs then.  The back of his head missing from the fatal shot Low Light had gotten off.  The leader of the Crimson Guard landed face up at the bottom and the others could see that Low Light had shot through Tomax's scope, killing the man instantly.  "Damn.  Remind me to never get on your bad side." Ripcord joked as the group split up and began raiding the White House.

Back at the Capitol Building, Sci-Fi had met up with Tripwire and Short Fuze and the trio began making their way towards the White House.  They turned suddenly at the sound of a large explosion only to see that four COBRA troops had found the mortar rounds Tripwire had laid earlier.  "That'll teach the stupid shits to watch where they step." Short Fuze joked as they continued to move forward.

Sci-Fi cautiously peered around a corner and then dove for cover.  "Fuck there's more of them!" He said as shots rained down on his position.  Tripwire and Short Fuze both took cover as they began returning fire.  Tripwire heard Sci-Fi hiss as he took a shot.  He kept firing until there was nothing left to shoot at, then he turned to see his beloved leaning against the wall holding a hand over his left shoulder.  "Aw damn, not the left one again." He said as Tripwire bent down to take a better look at the wound.  

"Babe, I swear when we get home I'm gonna go to Berkeley and get that damn bull's eye tattoo…maybe then the fucks will miss it."  Sci-Fi cursed as Tripwire removed enough of his shirt to examine the wound closer.

"Ain't that the same one you got shot through before?" Short Fuze asked as he kept watch, his rifle panning in all directions.

"Same spot exactly." Tripwire marveled as he took out the medical kit to treat the wound.

"Yer kidding me?" Sci-Fi asked as he looked down at where Tripwire was treating his shoulder.  Sure enough he didn't see the scar of a wound received when he had first joined the Joe team.  "Shit and I thought Low Light was a good shot." He commented before grunting in pain as Tripwire applied antiseptic to the wound.  Satisfied that he could continue, Sci-Fi got up and joined the other two as they continued their march towards their goal.

Meanwhile Grunt had already made his way in and was prowling the inner halls of the White House when he felt pain ripping through his thigh.  Saliva flew from his clenched teeth as he slid down the wall and turned to see Xamot stalking him, gun raised and ready to fire.  "Aren't you supposed to be deceased already Joe?" He purred as he moved to stand over Grunt.  

Grunt's chest heaved as he breathed heavily and waited for the end.  He could feel the outline of the ring he wanted to give Leila pressing against his heart every time he took a breath.  'I'm sorry Leila.' He thought as watched Xamot sneer at him.  'Not again.' He said mentally to himself as he saw Xamot's finger begin to squeeze the trigger.  Grunt's eyes remained open as he waited for the end.  Xamot suddenly froze and the gun dropped from his slack fingers.  Grunt took his chance.  He fired once and Xamot joined his twin in the here after.  Later Grunt would learn of the miraculous shot Low Light had gotten off and he figured that Xamot had felt his twin's death as he was about to kill Grunt.  Grunt reached into his breast pocket and took out the diamond ring he had tucked away there.  "I am so proposing to her the second I see her." He said aloud as he kissed the ring and put it away again.

In the Oval Office, Cobra Commander frantically tried to gain access to his escape route.  The door was kicked open and he reached for a gun, not in time though as two shots rang out.  His killer looked down at the deceased commander as tears slid from her eyes.  "That's for all the others you took and tortured you bastard." Zarana spat as she fired once more to make sure he was dead.

He'd found his query.  Deep Six hid in the shadows of the library and watched as Dr. Mindbender entered and locked the large door behind him.  Mindbender pulled on a book and a secret panel opened.  Deep Six could see a large room with shelves full of jars.  He took a better look at one of the shelves closest to him and felt his stomach clench in horror.  In the jars were pieces of human tissue, organs, limbs or the like, all mounted neatly and labeled accordingly.    

Deep Six heard another door open in the room and cautiously made his way to the opening in the wall.  He could see the back of the madman as he rummaged through a stack of boxes, looking for something.  Deep Six found cover behind one of the rows of shelves and hid himself from view.  He tried not to look at what was next to him in the jars but found that his innate curiosity demanded it of him.  What he saw angered him instead.  Unbelievably, a mere ten inches from his face was a jar that's label caught his eye.

GI Joe, Ace.  Executed as traitor to COBRA.

In it was a human heart, Ace's heart the diver figured.  The sight steeled his resolve and he quietly slipped his razor sharp diving knife from its sheath.  As quietly as he could, Deep Six crept forward until he was almost on top of Mindbender.  The scientist was oblivious to the danger until he felt the bite of the knife as it was pressed against his throat.  From what he could see of the impressive blade, he knew it to be a diving knife, designed to cut through thick shark hide.  One slip and it would go through his throat as if it were made of butter.  

Desperation won out over sensibility as he grabbed for the blade.  Mindbender was surprised that the sensation was similar to that of a mild sting, not the torturous pain he figured would result as Deep Six drew the blade quickly across his throat.  Mindbender's death scream came out as a gurgled sound seeing as his vocal cords were no longer in one piece.  The knife had done its job efficiently, slicing cleanly back to Mindbender's spine.  The blade caught on one of the madman's vertebrae and Deep Six gave it a quick tug to release the knife.  Mindbender slumped to the floor as his life bled profusely from his nearly completely severed neck.  Using Mindbender's cloak, Deep Six wiped the blood from the blade and slipped it back into its sheath.  

As he was leaving, the sight he'd seen only moments before nagged at him.  Deep Six went back for the jar containing Ace's heart and tucked it carefully away.  As he left the macabre private museum, he could see Torpedo coming towards him, that's when he heard the shots.   Deep Six winced and sank to his knees as he felt the piercing bite of the two bullets into his back.  Torpedo had dove for cover and was shimmying his way over to his long time friend.  Reaching the doorframe Torpedo glanced quickly and saw Scrap Iron standing over Mindbender's corpse.  Torpedo fired once and Scrap Iron fell to the ground next to his fallen master, a neat hole in the space between his eyes.

Satisfied, Torpedo got to his knees and caught Deep Six as he was beginning to fall forward.  "Hold on! K, cuz?" Torpedo said frantically as he tried to assess the damage done.  Deep Six looked up at the Hawai'ian, tears in his eyes and reached for the jar he had just collected.  The diver could feel his lungs as they filled with blood and knew that he would soon join the pilot as he handed the heart over to Torpedo.  

"Put him to final rest." Was all Deep Six said as he felt the jar leave his hand.  His head fell forward and landed on Torpedo's broad chest, he was surprised that all he could hear was the steady beating of his dearest friend's heart.  The darkness that was once at the edge of his field of vision grew larger until it completely covered his view of the world.  He could still hear Torpedo's heartbeat as his own slowly stuttered before stopping altogether.

"Oh God please no." Torpedo breathed as he realized nothing could be done to save his friend.  "Please, jus' once God?" He begged as his head fell forward and nuzzled the top of the dead man's own.  He kept whispering for a miracle as he held Deep Six close.  Torpedo was surprised to find the reddish blonde hair so soft, an odd contrast for someone who was known to be harsh and cold towards others.  He felt something odd in his hand and looked at the jar Deep Six had handed him before passing away in his arms.  He read the label and new tears sprang from his eyes.

Outside the battle slowly began to wind down.  They had completely taken COBRA by surprise in their assault and it hadn't taken them long to overwhelm the overlord's army.  Duke and Brekhov were going over what each of them had done in the attack.  Duke listened as Brekhov told him of Horror Show's betrayal and laid an understanding hand on the Colonel's shoulder.

The others were gathering on the steps of the White House to inventory their losses.  It was over, COBRA's reign of terror was no more, and they'd done what they had set out to do.  Clutch was holding Cover Girl from behind, his face buried in her hair when he heard her choke and pull from his grasp.  He looked up and saw Dusty moving towards them, Imani's limp body cradled in his arms.  Clutch was horrified when he saw the entire front of the man covered in the tiny warrior's blood.

"She took a hit to the arm.  I treated it best I could." Dusty explained as Cover Girl took Imani's head in her hands and pressed her forehead to the girl's.  Cover Girl could feel warmth radiating from the girl and felt an immense sense of relief wash over her when she heard Imani mumble something.  Dusty spoke softly in Arabic to her as Lifeline rushed up to take over.

Dusty could only watch as the medic ripped her sleeve open to examine her wound better.  Cover Girl hugged him but he could barely feel it as he watched.  Her rich brown skin was so pale as she lay there.  "The shot went through cleanly, she'll be ok." Lifeline said as he applied pressure to the wound to stop the bleeding.  "She is going to need a few transfusions though.  She's lost a lot of blood." He added as he hooked her up to an IV and Dusty helped him move her to an awaiting vehicle.

Clutch watched as the vehicle pulled away and Cover Girl came back into his arms, this time pressing her face into his chest as she openly wept for the first time.  He was grateful that as a precaution a few days earlier, that Lifeline and Doc had drawn pints of blood from each of them and cross matched them, so he knew that Imani had what she needed when they got her to the bunker.  He remembered the heated argument Imani had put to Doc when he had told her she couldn't donate.  The argument only ended when Doc explained that at her size, a blood donation would debilitate her and that she just didn't have enough coursing through her veins to contribute to the cause. 

A slugger pulled up as the emergency vehicle pulled away.  Footloose and Rock-n-Roll were kicking back on the front of it as it groaned to a stop.  Thunder jumped out and pulled his helmet off, shaking out his hair and reaching back to straighten the ponytail.  "Y'all ain't gonna believe this!  Them Dreadnoks is real opportunistic when it serves them!" Thunder laughed.

"How do you mean?" Duke asked as he came forward to see if the three were alright.

"Dude we saw them and figured we'd have to shoot it out with them.  Instead!  They take out a band of snakes heading for us!" Rock-n-Roll laughed.  "It was unreal dude." 

"Yeah and here's the fun part.  After taking out the snake squad, THEN they see us!" Footloose added.  They went on to tell Duke that Zartan and his crew could see how things were turning out and decided it was in their best interest to help the winning side.

Clutch heard Rock-n-Roll gasp suddenly and turned to see what was going on now. Torpedo came down the stairs, holding Deep Six to him.  The look in his eyes told them that there was no miracle waiting for the diver lying limp in his arms.  "Scrap Iron wen' get him." Torpedo spoke bluntly.  Rock-n-Roll moved forward to help Torpedo with the burden of the diver's weight but the SEAL declined.  "You can take dis though." Torpedo said as he handed over the jar Deep Six had found in Mindbender's lab.

"Oh God." Rock-n-Roll whispered when he realized what he held in his hands.  The others that were watching wondered what the small jar contained as Rock-n-Roll held it to his chest and lowered his head to weep.  Torpedo explained what he had seen in the lab and told them that they now had the chance to give Ace the funeral he'd been denied.  The others lowered their heads as Torpedo finished his story.  

The Baroness was getting reports from all over the city as they came flooding in.  She knew that there were still the armies abroad to contend with but for now she sighed in relief.  The main core of COBRA's command had been defeated.  She was going to join the rest of the team where they were gathered when Zarana stepped forward.  The Baroness saw the grizzly trophy as Zarana tossed it to the ground.  Cobra Commander's head landed with a sickening thud as it came back down to earth.  Neither woman said a word as the Baroness went forward to hold the shaking girl.  "It's over." She whispered to Zarana who was weeping inconsolably against her breast.

Leila had heard that the battle was over and had rushed to the city.  She prayed that Grunt still lived, seeing as the casualty reports were scarce at the bunker.  She found him as he came limping out of the White House, a hand over his thigh.  Leila rushed to help him walk but was surprised when instead he dropped to his knees.  Reaching into his pocket he pulled out the ring he had safely tucked away there.  "I know this is like really sudden and we've barely met, but I would be honored if you'd marry me." He blurted out quickly.  Leila gaped at the small ring and reached into a pocket on her thigh.  She handed over the piece of paper still damp with her tears.  'A simple yes or no would have sufficed.' Grunt thought as he read it.

It took him several times to grasp what he saw.  "I'm gonna be a daddy?" He choked as he looked back up at Leila.  He noticed her hand was gently cradling her abdomen as she nodded her head yes.  Grunt shook his head and looked back up at her.  "Well how's that for timing then?" He asked as he held the ring up again for her.  She smiled and sank to the ground so she could face him better and accepted the ring.  "Is that why you've been so tired lately?" He asked after they had separated from their kiss for some much needed air.

"Yes. Doc figures I'm roughly two months along now." She said as she helped him get back to his feet and walk towards the other's so his leg could be tended to.

"Oh man!  Steeler's gonna kill me when he finds out." Grunt groaned as he saw the tanker join the rest of the group.

Leila laughed and assured him that he was safe from his commander's wrath.  "We have a very good anti-Steeler force on our side." She said as she told him that besides the couple themselves and Doc, the Baroness was the only other one who knew of Leila's pregnancy.

"God I hope so." Grunt muttered as they arrived to their destination.   

The Baroness spied Leila's hand and the ring that glinted in the light.  "You told him?" She asked her faithful servant.

Leila smiled. "I told him AFTER he proposed." The two shared a warm smile and hug as Grunt was getting his leg tended to.

Steeler overheard the two and glanced at Grunt.  "You proposed?" He asked incredulously.

"Uh, yeah…and this was BEFORE I found out that uh…" Grunt stammered.  Steeler looked between Grunt and the two women when it dawned on him what else was in store for him.

"When's the kid due?" He smirked

It took Grunt a moment to remember what Leila had told him about her 'condition'.  "Seven months I think…something like that."  Grunt nearly fainted in relief when instead of the pounding he thought he'd get, Steeler congratulated him.

Their shared joy was short lived however when they learned that not all had made it out in one piece.  Leila buried her face in Grunt's shoulder when they heard of Deep Six's death, as tears slid down the wounded man's face.  More tears joined them when they also learned of the trophy they'd found in Mindbender's lab.  The Baroness hung her head in her pain and Steeler wrapped his arms around her, burying his face in her hair to silently weep for his fallen comrades.  

As the sun rose on the first COBRA free day, the Joes began making their way back to the bunker, their home as far as some of them were concerned.  There were still the wounded to take care of, as well as the dead to tend too.  Then they had to figure out how to rid the world entirely of the COBRA forces that were still stationed all over the world.

To Be Concluded…


	18. IT's Like Having Been Born Again. pt 18 ...

It's Like Having Been Born Again.  Pt 18

Author chick's notes:  This has been fun ride.  Alas like all things, this must end too.  I've got a few side projects with this in mind lined up so I don't think you've seen the last of them.  blah Arabic, (blah) Russian.  Disclaimers are in Pt 1.

It's Like Having Been Born Again. Pt 18

Slowly there was light and then a shadow appeared.  Imani tried blinking again to focus her vision.  Love?    Lifeline looked down at her and turned over to the chair placed next to the cot.  

"Dusty? She's waking up." He said softly, as he gently woke the desert warrior.

Imani tried to understand what the words were, she knew them but couldn't figure them out until she felt a familiar hand take hers.  It's going to be all right, Love.  Imani smiled and sighed as she went back to sleep.  Dusty gently caressed her hand, occasionally brushing her hair back from her face as she slept.  

In another room adjacent to the two, another of the wounded began waking up.  Tripwire heard the deep breath that signaled his own love was rousing from sleep and looked over as Sci-Fi struggled to open his eyes.  "How do you feel, Koi?"  Tripwire watched as Sci-Fi used his right hand to run it through his hair.  He smiled when he heard his response.

"Like shit.  What did I get hammered on?" Sci-Fi groaned as he began opening his eyes and looking around.

"COBRA gunfire and whatever Doc used as a sedative when he operated on your shoulder."  Tripwire said softly.  Sci-Fi frowned for a moment trying to remember what had happened then looked to his left shoulder.  

"Those bastards nailed me again didn't they?" He asked when he saw his left side wrapped in bandages.  Tripwire explained what had happened then told Sci-Fi that he had been 'officially' discharged from the army.  "We're free of COBRA for a day and they decide to push that one on us now?" Sci-Fi asked, anger creeping into his voice as he spoke.

Tripwire grinned before answering. "No they didn't.  Your shoulder took to bad a hit for you to be considered 'battle ready' anymore.  The shot took out some nerves and tendons this time." He replied.

Sci-Fi looked down at his left hand and tried to move his fingers, the digits moved but he had no sense of touch in some of them.  "That explains why I can't feel them then." He wondered aloud as he touched his thumb to each of his fingers.  

Tripwire looked on fondly before a small sound caught his attention. "Oh! And I swear this little guy is psychic!" He said as he moved over to get Diz from his cage.  "He's been moping ever since we got back, it's like he knew you were hurt." Tripwire added as he handed the squirrel over to Sci-Fi.  

They both smiled when the little creature suddenly perked up and began actively moving as he was placed on Sci-Fi's chest.  "Hey little Dizzy dude." Sci-Fi smiled when the critter tentatively sniffed at his chin.  Satisfied that his human was alright, Diz moved down to Sci-Fi's stomach and curled up to take a nap.  "Ok that is just pathetic." Sci-Fi laughed.  He looked over at Tripwire and noticed the wistful look on his face.  "What's wrong?" He asked, concern creeping into his voice.  He noticed then that the man's eyes were red and puffy from crying.

Tripwire heaved a sigh before explaining that not all of them had made it out so safely.  "Deep Six was killed in action.  And…" Tripwire choked up with emotion before continuing.  "And Flash died on the operating table." He got out before succumbing to another round of tears.  Sci-Fi's jaw hung open as he took in the information.  He then learned that Scrap Iron had fatally wounded Deep Six and that Flash hadn't survived the shots to the abdomen that he'd received.  

What hurt more was that they had learned later that Flash, with a belly full of lead, had moved Frostbite out of harm's way.  It was figured that in his effort to save his teammate that Flash lost too much blood and couldn't survive the efforts to save him.  Frostbite had taken a hit to the hip and got most of his pelvis shattered.  It would be months before he would be able to stand on it, let alone walk again.  "Oh God." Sci-Fi whispered as tears began stinging his eyes.  Tripwire leaned over the bed and rested his head on Sci-Fi's good shoulder, both of them taking comfort in the fact that their friends were now in a more peaceful place.

Frostbite meanwhile had woken up earlier to find a very exhausted looking Diana at his bedside.  "Jenshina?"  Diana jolted awake and blinked a few times before turning her gaze over to Frostbite.

(Snowman? You're awake?) She asked, not believing that she had heard him at first.

Frostbite chuckled at the nickname she had given him when they became a couple before answering her. (Yeah, I'm awake.  Where's Flash?)  Diana had already heard of how the laser trooper had saved her beloved and she felt the tears spring forth as she told Frostbite what had happened.  (Mother of God.) He murmured when he learned of his savior's fate.  Diana also told him of who else had died in the battle and Frostbite began to shed his own tears.

(Then there's Horror Show.) She began.  Frostbite looked at her and waited to hear how he came into the picture.  (He betrayed us and joined with COBRA.)  She explained.  She told him of the encounter her and Brekhov had with their former teammate and its bloody end.  Frostbite said nothing as he held out his hand to her.  She took it and gingerly slid into the bed next to him, mindful of his damaged hip and curled up against him.  

All over the bunker, the various Joes and October Guard mourned their losses in their own way.  Doc had wanted to see how Torpedo was doing and went to the room the SEAL had shared with Deep Six.  He opened the door and saw the SEAL sitting cross-legged on the floor with his back to Doc. He was naked to his waist as he wove an intricate lei of Black-Eyed Susan's and other wild flowers in a core of sea grasses.  Doc watched fascinated as Torpedo would occasionally add an oak leaf or two to the creation between bunches of flowers as he made his tribute to his fallen friend.

Doc remembered the one trip he had taken to the SEAL's home state and knew that what Torpedo was doing now, was a most sacred of ancient traditions passed down through the ages.  Feeling like an intruder, Doc turned to leave.  He stopped when Torpedo spoke up.  "No need for go."  Doc turned to see that Torpedo had stopped what he was doing and was looking at him with his piercing black eyes.

"I didn't mean to barge in like this…I just wanted to make sure you're okay." Doc explained as he moved over and sat down across from the SEAL.

Torpedo smiled and went back to his lei making.  "Nah its cool, I don't mind da company."

Doc watched for a while as Torpedo would add to his lei.  "I know this sounds dumb, but is there a meaning behind what you chose?" Doc asked as he gestured to the beautiful creation blooming in Torpedo's hands.  

Torpedo smiled wryly and explained what each plant meant.  "Da Susan's is for his Aina…err homeland." Doc nodded that he knew the word and Torpedo continued.  "Da sea grass is for da sea obviously, but also his personality.  Its rough and not showy, an it thrives in harsh areas.  Da oak is also for strength.  And dese…" He gestured to the various other wildflowers he had arranged on the floor in front of him. "Dese is all the different moods he wen get, from calm like da sea on a warm summer day, to passionate about what he wen believe in.  Da colours at any rate."   Doc looked at the myriad of colours, from pale blues to vibrant reds and oranges.  It was then that Doc realized just how little he had known the diver.  True Deep Six never made it easy to begin with, seeing as he preferred to be alone, but it became apparent to Doc that the diver had let Torpedo in willingly.

Doc picked up a wild poppy and twirled it in his fingers as he thought of how much he had missed.  "I honestly had no idea." He said aloud.  Torpedo knew what he meant and understood.

"If it helps any, I don't know much more den you cuz." He offered.

"No.  You do.  Look at the care you've taken to choose all of this?" Doc said as he waved a hand over the greenery.  "Yeah you're more sociable then he was, but you obviously took time to get to know him better then he let the rest of us."

Torpedo looked down at the lei and chewed on his lip.  Doc's words made sense as he thought more about them and it began to hit him hard.  Doc watched as Torpedo let the feelings wash over him and laid a comforting hand on his bare shoulder when he saw the glint of tears.  Torpedo sniffled and wiped a tear away from his cheek as he picked up another reed to weave into the core.  "I guess so, huh?" He said after a while.

The two talked for a while, Torpedo explaining how Deep Six was as a person and all the different things that no one but Torpedo knew.  Doc listened and watched as Torpedo would add things to his lei and noticed a pattern emerging.  Amid the different colours and textures, it was if Torpedo was telling a story with his creation.  The blue flowers were the only ones that were randomly placed, to show that the man they represented, tended to remain calm. 

A few days later, the remaining members of both teams found themselves at the site they had chosen for their burial ground.  Flash was laid to rest along with the three already buried there.  Torpedo had also made a lei that represented the laser trooper and placed it on the coffin containing his body.  As per his will, Ace's remains were cremated and his ashes scattered to the wind so he could fly one last time.  Deep Six had also asked to be cremated and Torpedo would later honor him by scattering his ashes in Chesapeake Bay, along with the lie he had woven for his friend.

As hard as the actual funerals themselves were, listening to the eulogies given for each man was worse.  Wild Bill had been asked to give Ace's and with some trepidation he did.  "Y'all already know what a good man Ace was, I don't need to go on about that, but it was what he did…" Wild Bill paused to collect himself.  "He risked his life in order to stop our world from becoming a dark place.  Lord knows how many jets he crashed or tower controller's he scared shitless when he'd buzz em but as flashy as he was, he was a good man.  I'm honored to have called him friend." Wild Bill paused again and a small smile tugged at his lips.  "And I know that smarmy bastard is laughing down from where ever he is now at us being all sad.  He was to much the life of the party to want to be remembered like this." He added.  A few of them chuckled as they agreed.

"I was gonna prepare something for this…" Short Fuze started as he began the eulogy for Flash.  "But seeing as how he always believed that there was a reason for everything, and stuff happened no matter what you did, I figured I'd do this from the heart."   Short Fuze looked skyward for a moment before continuing.  "The first time I met the guy I thought, 'Oh great some California dude type'.  But that turned out to be Rock-n-Roll." Thunder snorted a laugh at the comment as Short Fuze continued.  "I learned quickly however, that Flash was anything but that.  He had brains Einstein would have been proud of and a heart worthy of any saint.  I never met anyone who could be so easy going in such a fast paced environment, and I admired the guy for that.  I really did."  Emotion began to get the better of him as he thought of what else he wanted to say for his friend.  "I just hope…that whatever answers to life he was searching for…" Short Fuze bit back his tears in an effort to keep going.  "I just hope he's found them now."

They had all agreed to say a few words for the friends they lost but couldn't bury and each one was given the respect and dignity he deserved.  Footloose spoke of Spirit's wise old soul and his innate ability to sense the troubles of others and talk with them in an effort to help them.  Then on to Leatherneck's fierce pride and determination to get the job done no matter what and how he was what a Marine was supposed to be.  Duke spoke with a smile as he remembered the good-natured heart of Barbeque and his love of his friends.  The pride Duke spoke of having served under General Hawk was shared by all the Joes and the father figure he came to be for so many of them.  Brekhov too spoke with pride of Lt. Gorky and his love of his homeland and of the sea which he had devoted his career to.

"Hele me kakou aloha ho'i e ka manoa mi hi'ipoi ma ola." Torpedo said in his native tongue.  "It means 'go with our love back to the sea you cherished in life.'" He translated before continuing.  "If dere was one thing both Deep Six and Shipwreck did love, it was da sea.  I know Mal was aloof and hard for know, but I feel privileged to have been given da chance for get to know him.  Yeah he'd tease me plenty times, but I know now it was his way of showing he cared.  My people believe that after someone passes away they change and become 'amakua' or family spirits.  Dese spirits are usually represented by something from da ocean.  In Deep Six's case I think he's part of a strong current now, calmly flowing along in the part of the ocean he loved da most, the deep abyss."  

Torpedo smiled as he considered his words for the other sailor he had offered to speak for.  "Wit Shipwreck, he was a pirate's pirate.  And he was proud of dat too.  Hector may have been laid back and all, but he knew what he needed for do for his country and his beliefs.  And I'll be damned if anyone tells me otherwise, but he wen do it in some of da craziest, most outrageous, yet effective ways. I admit, I am gonna miss the both of dem for as long as I live.  But I know in my heart they're doing what they need to for watch out over all dey loved.  As for amakua, let's jus say I gonna smile whenever I see a sea bird doing something that is jus a bit out of da ordinary…like deliberately heckle some poor sailor." Torpedo smiled as he finished, comforted by his own words and wishing his friends, all of them eternal peace.

It was a few days later when the teams began going their separate ways.  Imani was up and about now and Dusty had decided it was high time she met her mother in law.  Cover Girl and Imani were hugging in the hanger, as they were getting ready to leave.  Imani saw in the older woman a friend and sister she could trust and promised to keep in contact with her.  For Cover Girl, Imani was the little sister she never had.  Clutch and Dusty both looked on warily at the two as they said their good-byes.  Scarlet and Snake Eyes were also leaving and Timber decided he was going to give his newest friend a final farewell.  Imani giggled as he ran his tongue from her chin to her hairline in a sloppy lupine kiss.

Cover Girl leaned into Clutch as Dusty pulled away and set out for Vegas.  He had timed it so that when they got back out west, they'd be driving at night through his desert.  He'd told Imani how beautiful his home was at night and he wanted to show it to her in all of its glory.  Cover Girl and Clutch were going to stay behind at the bunker for a while, before joining in on the recovery efforts now going on all over the world.

Sci-Fi was well enough to travel and promised to look up the doctor Doc had told him to when he and Tripwire returned to the City by the Bay.  Diz didn't seem to mind being shuffled around in his cage as he was placed in the car taking them to an awaiting plane.  Frostbite would be immobile for some time and he couldn't be moved to another location for a few more days.  He didn't mind seeing as he now had time to be with Diana who doted on him lovingly.

Footloose had agreed to stay behind and help with the rebuilding efforts now in full swing.  He just shrugged and said he'd have a roof over his head and he wasn't doing anything else at the time so why not?  Steeler had taken over for Leila as the Baroness' right hand and the two began working diligently to remove any trace of COBRA that remained.  Leila, like Diana doted lovingly on her beloved who insisted she take it easy, especially seeing as her pregnancy was becoming evident.  Grunt would begin to tell her she needed to sit down for a moment and Leila would just raise an eyebrow to him.  It was all she needed to do to get him to see things her way.

The sun was setting over the Kentucky horizon.  In a small house in the middle of a sea of grass a woman called out to her son.  "Liam? Come on lad, time for bed." A small boy popped out of some bushes next to his mother and clamped onto her leg.  

"Mamma? Do I have ta?" He grinned up at her.  

She bit her lip to keep from smiling at the boy who resembled his father so much. "Aye you do, now come on.  Hop it." She said placing a gentle swat on his rear as he bolted past her into the house.  She went inside and closed the door behind her.  She was about to tuck her son in when another child's voice demanded her attention.  

Jane Breckenridge rolled her eyes and told her son she'd be with him in a moment.  "You're just as loud as your Da, Keara." She teased as she picked the wailing infant girl up.  She placed her small finger against the baby's lips and smiled.  "And just as hungry." She laughed as she unbuttoned her blouse to feed her daughter.  As the baby fed, her mother sang to her in her native Gaelic.   Soon the little girl yawned sleepily and closed her eyes again content to just be held by her mother.

"Mamma? I want a story?" She heard Liam call out from his room.  Jane went to her son and wove a fantastical tale about a free spirited princess who could fly and how she met a wonderful if slightly rough around the edges warrior.  Liam fell asleep to the fairy tale version of how his parents met and Jane tucked him in and turned off the light.  She was just settling down into her favorite chair with Keara when she saw lights coming up the road leading to the house.

Thinking it was a neighbor who checked up on the lone mother occasionally she stepped out to the porch to greet them.  The car had barely come to a full stop when the passenger door swung open and a longhaired man rushed over to her.  "Matthew?" Jane whispered when she saw who it was.  He answered her by kissing her soundly and hugging her and their daughter close to him.  Jane looked over at the car and recognized the driver as he stepped out to join them.  She laughed and said that the neighbors would be real thrilled with them now that the noise level had just officially multiplied.  

"Hey Janey, see I brought him home all safe and sound for you." Rock-n-Roll grinned as he hugged her.

"Aye and I'm grateful for it too, Craig." She smiled.  

Thunder was about to take his daughter in his arms when he heard a familiar screech.  He turned and caught Liam who had leaped up into his father's arms and hugged him tightly.  He nuzzled the hair so much like his own as he bathed in the warmth that was his family. Keara was startled by her brother's ecstatic greeting of her father and let everyone know it too.  "That's my baby girl!" Thunder cheered as he shifted Liam to his hip and took Keara from Jane.  The baby looked up at the sound she knew and quieted down.  

"He's the only thing that gets her to hush." Jane said shaking her head as she watched the trio.  Rock-n-Roll just laughed.

Liam was holding his father's ponytail and asked if he had to go away again with Uncle Craig.  "Nope.  It's all over.  The bad people are gone now."  He answered.  Liam lay his head on his father's shoulder after muttering 'ok' and soon dozed off.  Jane led them back into the house and closed the door after them.  The sound of crickets was the only noise anyone heard that night as they slept for the first time in a long while, peacefully.

It was overcast and cold on the shores of Chesapeake Bay near Baltimore.  Torpedo didn't seem to mind the wind buffeting at him as he got out of the car.  Carrying the lei and a small urn he went to the edge of a small cliff and gazed out at the rugged beauty of the sea Deep Six had called home.  Uttering a small prayer in Hawai'ian Torpedo poured the ashes of his friend into the roiling sea below.  He tossed the lei in after them and watched as they dispersed on the waves.  

A screeching gull flew overhead, fighting the wind and dove over towards the car.  Torpedo watched as it dived at the car startling Flint and Lady Jaye, who had driven him to the cliff.  The gull pestered the car for a moment before flying off out towards the ocean.  Torpedo smiled as he watched it go.  "Take care huh, Hector."  He said to the wind as he turned to leave. 

The End.


End file.
